


A Harmony of Dragons

by Zoi no miko (zoi_no_miko)



Series: The Weyrleaders of High Reaches [2]
Category: Dark City (1998), Dragonriders of Pern - Anne McCaffrey, Mirrors (2008)
Genre: Accidental Plot, Alternate Universe - Dragons, Alternate Universe - Pern, Dragon Riders, Dragons, Friendship/Love, Intrigue, M/M, Pern, Plot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-08
Updated: 2014-01-19
Packaged: 2018-01-07 23:57:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 34,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1125915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zoi_no_miko/pseuds/Zoi%20no%20miko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Go and be a Dragon Rider," the Masterharper had told his the young harper apprentice when he'd been Searched. "Things haven’t been quite right at High Reaches since their last Weyrleader died, and I’d like to keep closer eye on things. Let them believe that there is nothing in that pretty little head of yours but the desire for the glory of riding a dragon and fighting Thread."</p><p>It was a request dragonrider J'hon was happy to agree to. Because riding a dragon? Was REALLY DAMN COOL.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> ahhhrg more Pern AU! No knowledge of either fandom is necessary, really.
> 
> Songs taken from canon.

Harper apprentice Jahon wasn’t particularly surprised when the blue Search dragon that came to Fort Hold spoke to his mind. He’d always felt an affinity for the magnificent creatures - he had every teaching song about dragons memorized by the time he was six - and his father often spoke proudly of the Ruathan blood in their line. He even looked Ruathan, with his thick black hair, gray-green eyes, and the fine, straight nose that was only a little too long for his face. Still, he wasn’t quite sure how to react to the grand blue Dragon who stood in front of him with his rider.

“You’ve been searched,” the blue rider repeated again, kindly. A’rit, he’d said his name was? “Don’t be afraid, boy. You could be a dragon rider.”

“I’m not afraid,” Jahon replied, little insulted. “I’m a Harper. But I’m just supposed to be here to report who gets searched to Harper Idan. I’m already an apprentice. And I’m only 12.”

“12 is old enough to impress. But if you have no interest in dragons, little Harper, you can certainly stay here….” He smiled teasingly, raising an eyebrow.

Jahon quickly took a step back. “I’ll ask right now.”

“Pack your things while you do!” A’rit called after him, then turned to the other children of the hold.

Jahon ran hard, breathless by the time he returned to Harper Hall. But before he could open the door to master Idan’s class, he felt a large hand grasp his shoulder. He spun around, drawing a sharp gasp. “Masterharper Harmond!” He swallowed hard. Everyone knew the Masterharper, of course, but Jahon had only ever spoken to him personally once, when he’d first become an apprentice. Harper Idan was standing behind him in the hallway, and for a moment Jahon was worried he’d done something wrong. Then the Masterharper smiled.

“Idan told me that he’d sent you to meet the search dragons from High Reaches. Since you’ve returned so quickly, I can guess that they want you to go with them?”

Jahon nodded, eyes wide as he tried to find his voice. “I told them I was a Harper. But the dragon didn’t care. Can I be both, Sir?”

Harmond laughed, taking a step back. “Perhaps you can. Come with me, youngling. You must pack your things, mustn’t keep the dragonriders waiting. And we must talk about your apprenticeship.”

Jahon was confused, but followed the Masterharper back to the apprentice dorms obediently. His apprenticeship? When he’d asked if he could be both Harper and dragonrider, he hadn’t been serious. Dragonriders fought thread! How could he do both?

The apprentice dorms always were empty at this time of day, with all the other apprentices in class. Still, as Masterharper Harmond followed him into the room, he could see Idan begin to quietly check the room for occupants, looking under each cot and into the curtained alcoves were apprentices stored their gear.

“It will be a shame to lose you your musical talents, Jahon,” the Masterharper was saying. “You have such a lovely voice. And I’m certain when it changes you’ll have the same clear tenor is your father. But you could be of great use to me. Weyrharper Shoyto at High Reaches has asked for a new apprentice. So if you don’t impress, which I don’t think will be the case, you can stay at the weyr and learn from him. Would you like that, Jahon?” 

Jahon had already started packing his best clothes into a travel bag. He stopped, looking up at the Masterharper. “You don’t want me to come back here to finish my classes?”

“It’s up to you. But you already know all the teaching songs, and the basics of composing on your own. The rest you can learn from him. Apprentices that were raised in the Hall like you were finish their schooling much faster than those who come to us later. Would you like to stay in the weyr?”

Jahon regarded him for a moment, thinking carefully. “I am happy to do whatever my Masterharper needs me to do, Sir.”

Masterharper Harmond smiled, suddenly looking very pleased indeed as he sat down on the edge of one of the cots. He glanced to Idan, who nodded, then moved to stand by the door to make sure no one else came in. Then the Masterharper turned his attention fully to Jahon. “I would like you to stay. And more, if you are willing. Things haven’t been quite right at High Reaches since their last Weyrleader died, and I’d like to keep closer eye on things. Are you willing to be my eyes and ears in High Reaches, Jahon?”

Jahon could feel his heart start to race. “Me? Why? The weyr Harper – “

“Younglings can often see and hear things that are not meant for adults,” Harmond explained. “Of This will be especially true if you become a Dragon Rider. They know that Shoyto is loyal to me, that you may be able to make them believe otherwise. Go and be a Dragon Rider, Jahon. Let them believe that there is nothing in that pretty little head of yours but the desire for the glory of riding a dragon and fighting Thread. And if you see or hear something that you think I should know about, remember it in as much detail as you can. I will arrange for my messengers to meet you from time to time. Can you do that?”

Jahon felt a thrill of excitement in the pit of his stomach. A secret mission from the Masterharper? Of course he could! “I can be the most vapid Dragon Rider ever! What am I looking for?”

“Just anything you think I need to know,” Harmond repeated, patting him on the shoulder. “I will arrange for messengers to contact you from time to time, with one of my tokens to prove their cause. If you need to contact me for any reason, just send a composition draft to Idan for approval. Make something up, it doesn’t have to be good. I’ll arrange for contact.” He leaned forward, holding Jahon’s gaze. “It’s very important that you never speak of this to anyone who does not bear my token. It could put you danger. Understood?”

He was serious, Jahon quickly realized. He swallowed hard. Danger, in a weyr? The weyrs protected them! But if the Masterharper said it was so…. He took a deep breath, and nodded. “You can depend on me, sir. And my discretion. You have my word.”

“Good.” Masterharper Harmond stood, ruffling his curls. “Make sure you take your lute with you. I’ll be very disappointed if I hear that you’ve stopped singing.”

The rest of the afternoon was a blur of activity. Riding dragonback to the weyr was the most exhilarating experience of his young life, even more so than performing, and suddenly Jahon wanted to be a dragonrider very much. Then it was the thrill of arriving at the weyr and meeting so many new people: weyrfolk, the other candidates, and dragonriders and their magnificent beasts. People from all sorts of backgrounds, all over Pern. His fingers itched to try and make it all into a song.

When the candidates finally sat down in the vast dining cavern for dinner, he made careful note of everyone that sat at the head table. Most of the table was made up of men, strong dragonriders in fine, well-tailored clothes, laughing and talking as they took their seats. He was certain that the single woman who sat with them must be Weyrwoman Dalia. She was petite, her blond hair streaked with gray and pulled back into a single plait that hung down her back. The lines around her mouth and temples made him think that once she must have smiled often, but now she sat silent and sad, with a strange, faraway look in her eyes. Jahon couldn’t blame her. The old Weyrleader had been her partner and weyrmate for many years.

The room fell silent as the man beside her stood. He seemed a little younger than she was, his dark hair just starting to gray at the temples. He was well-built, if a little softer around the waist, and wore a short beard that was meticulously groomed. “Good evening, men and women of my weyr. Welcome to our new candidates. I’m Weyrleader H’dan, and tonight we have every reason to celebrate. Thanks to our efforts, Pern remains thread free. Our beautiful Queen has clutched 19 eggs that harden on the Sands in the hatching ground, and Weyr is strong.” He raised his goblet, which Jahon noticed was very well made. “To High Reaches!”

Everyone in the cavern raised the cup in return, then dug into the lavish spread before them. The food, though simple, was delicious and plentiful, and by the time the Weyr’s Harper took his place on the corner of the head table’s platform, Jahon was stuffed full and nearly giddy. Did dragonmen eat like this every night? And music, too? Maybe he could even get away with staying up all night!

He smiled to himself as Harper Shoyto tuned his lute and began to play the chords of the song he knew well. He’d always loved best the songs about dragons. Jahon filled his lungs and started in. “Drummer, beat, and piper, blow – “

Suddenly he realized that he was the only one singing. Shoyto’s fingers froze on the lute strings in surprise, head turning towards the table where he sat. Around him, Jahon could hear several of the other candidates started to snicker. For a split second he felt a rush of embarrassment. But instead of giving in to the urge to shut up and crawl under the table, he just continued to sing, letting his clear soprano fill the hall. “Harper, strike, and soldier, go - what, why aren’t you singing? Don’t the rest of you know this song? It’s about dragons!”

At the head table, the Weyrleader laughed good-naturedly, and the laughter trickled out into the room. “Well, perhaps our brave little Harper candidate can add to tonight’s entertainment. Sing on, youngling!”

Harper Shoyto smiled and beckoned for Jahon to join him near the head table. He started to play the song again, in a different key this time, and when Jahon started to sing again joined his voice in harmony.

By the time Jahon finally flopped back onto his patrol in the candidate’s Hall, his head was spinning. First being searched, and then getting to perform for the weyr! He’d stayed in the dining cavern for as long as he wanted, talking to so many dragonriders that even his Harper training couldn’t help him remember all their names. And the stories they told!

Content to relax at the end of a long day, Jahon started paying attention to the conversations of the other candidates around him, but many of the boys were starting to sound like a broken record. Every conversation seemed to turn into a debate about who was big enough or strong enough or smart enough to impress the coveted bronze dragons. And when they stopped talking about that, it was only to insist that they definitely weren’t going to end up as foppish green riders. Jahon thought they were just being ridiculous. He’d learned enough about weyrs to know that two thirds of the eggs on the hatching grounds would be blue or green. The rest would be the larger, brown dragons, with two, perhaps three of the coveted bronzes.

The debate of the group of boys that had entered after him had degraded to what sounded like tall tales of who had accomplished the craziest adventures. Jahon snorted, and one of them, the older boy that was a son of one of Nerat’s Lord Holders, looked over at him sharply. Rubin, Jahon remembered as he took a step forward. “What’s so funny, little Harper boy?”

Jahon shrugged. “Just thinking that most of you are going to end up eating your words. Almost all of those eggs are blue, green, or brown.”

“Oh, and you think you’re the one who’s going to get a bronze? A bronze Dragon would eat you for breakfast, little runt!”

Jahon flopped back on his bed roll, rolling his eyes. “Scorch it. Scorch all of you. I’ll ride a green. I’ll ride _all_ the greens. I’m going to be the gayest damn dragonrider you’ve ever seen!”

Rubin stared down at him for a moment, his eyebrows knitting together as he obviously tried to make sense of the boy. Then he sighed, shook his head, and returned to the others.

Jahon honestly hadn’t cared at all about what colour dragon he was going to impress. Even if he didn’t impress, he could stay as a Harper anyway. He’d said it to be funny more than anything else. So when Amanth came to him on hatching day, big and beautiful and most definitely bronze, and said, _Here you are_ , Jahon’s first reaction was to giggle, wrapping his arms around the most perfect being on the face of the planet and laughing uproariously into his hide.

 _I’m very glad that you’re happy, but I’m very hungry,_ his dragon said, the voice in his head sounding somewhat bemused.

Jahon pulled back, wiping the tears from his eyes. Thankfully one of the dragonriders was already beside him with a huge bowl of meat, which Jahon took, holding out a handful for his hatchling to scarf down. “Hello hungry. I’m Jahon.”

The rider beside him choked. “His name’s _what_?”

_Amanth. You are very funny. You would be funnier if you would feed me faster. I’m Amanth, and I feel hungry._

“Amanth,” Jahon repeated adoringly, feeding him another chunk of meat and stroking his muzzle. 

It seemed like Amanth would eat forever, and Jahon – J’hon, now - went through so many bowls of meat that he lost count. “One of the other boys said you’d eat me for breakfast, you now.”

Amanth gave a snort, and gobbled another piece from his hands. _I would never eat you. You’re mine. Also you’re too little. Maybe when you’re bigger._

“When I’m bigger, you’ll be bigger, too. I’d only be a mouthful.”

 _Then I suppose I will not eat you for breakfast._ He butted his head against Jahon’s affectionately. _Maybe just a snack._

When Amanth was finally full and taken care of, he stretched out on the rock ledge at the front of their new weyr and promptly fell fast asleep in the sun. One of the weyr folk had brought J’hon’s things from the candidate Hall, and J’hon left Amanth’s side just long enough to take his lute from its case. Then he stretched out with him, enjoying the sunshine, fingers plucking on the strings as he tried to find the right melody for the happiness he could feel. But meeting Amanth, being a dragonrider... How could he ever hope to express such feelings with words? Finally he started into a song he’d known for years.

“Wheel and turn or bleed and burn….” As he started to sing softly, he began to hear a soft hum, a low, clear tone that fell into perfect counterpart with his melody. He stopped in surprise, and so did the hum. J’hon sat quiet for a long moment, to see if it would start again, but when he was met with only silence, shook his head and returned to the song. “Fly between, Blue and Green….”

The hum returned, and with a shock, J’hon realized he could feel it, vibrating through Amanth’s warm hide at his back. He stopped and turned to Amanth in astonishment. “You can sing! How do you know this song?”

Amanth lifted his head as his eyes opened, swirling a contented shade of blue green. _I can hear it in your mind. You know it, so I know it. I sing with you._ Amanth’s reply felt a little amused, as if J’hon should have known this all along.

J’hon felt a thrill of joy, and set aside his lute to throw his arms around his Dragon’s neck. “Beautiful, perfect Amanth! You’re the most handsome, smartest dragon in all of Pern! How could any dragon be so perfect?!”

 _We are perfect together,_ Amanth replied, and nudged him with his nose. _Don’t stop playing. I like it._

“I’ll play as long as you like,” J’hon promised, picking up the lute again and relaxing back into his dragon. He couldn’t help but grin as Amanth’s clear hum joined his voice again. “Soar, dive down, Bronze and Brown. Dragonmen must fly when threads are in the sky!"

J’hon played song after song just to listen to Amanth hum, ignoring the groups of people would stop while passing his weyr to gawk. At some point in time in the afternoon he and Amanth must’ve fallen asleep. He woke to the sound of wood scraping against stone, and opened his eyes to see a blonde boy who looked around his age hauling a bucket up the steps to his weyr that was half as big as he was. J’hon jumped up quickly, setting aside his lute and hurrying to help him. “Is that for Amanth? Thank you!”

“Of course. I’m sorry to wake you, rider J’hon, but it’s almost dinner - “

“No no no, I appreciate this, Amanth keeps threatening to eat me.”

 _I am not!_ Amanth replied, indignant, and the boy giggled.

“Don’t worry,” he said, addressing Amanth directly as they set the bucket down near his head. “I’m sure J’hon’s just teasing.”

“Can you hear my dragon?” he asked, forgetting all about the food until Amanth nosed his hand impatiently. He fed him a chunk of meat, watching the boy’s ears turn pink.

“I - yes, I’m sorry. I’ve lived in Weyrs most of my life, so I hear them a lot.” He smiled, half shy, half awkward. “I’m Daniel.”

“Pleased to meet you, Daniel,” J’hon replied, thinking fast. Daniel hadn’t been among the candidates, he definitely would’ve remembered him. “Where you at the hatching today?”

Daniel frowned, glancing away. “I was just watching. My brother Ben was, though. I mean, B’min. He impressed bronze Santh!” He was almost glowing with pride as he spoke.

“That’s amazing! What about you?”

Daniel shook his head. “I’m only eleven and a half. Mother - I mean, the Weyrwoman said I couldn’t break the rules.”

This was Weyrwoman Dalia’s youngest son, J’hon quickly realized. He’d seen the boy before once, he realized, with his older brother and some of the dragonriders who had come from Fort Weyr for a Gather he’d been performing at. He remembered someone saying that they’d been sent away from High Reaches to be fostered after their father, the Weyrleader, had died. So C’son’s oldest son was a bronze rider now, like his father!

Daniel was watching him curiously, so J’hon grinned widely to cover his thoughts, quickly feeding Amanth another handful of meat. “Don’t worry, you’ll get your dragon at the next hatching for sure. We can learn to fight thread together!”

The wide smile lit the boy’s face. “Can you teach my dragon to sing like Amanth?”

J’hon grinned, hovering one meat-stained hand over his heart. “Daniel, you have my word and honor as a dragon rider!”

***


	2. Chapter 2

Disappointingly, it ended up being three years before Dalia’s Queen, Tannath, rose to mate again. J’hon had been astonished when Amanth chased after her - he’d yet to show more than a passing interest in the greens when they mated - and then he hadn’t felt anything at all apart from the euphoric desire of his dragon partner. The flight was short, but exhilarating, and J’hon was neither surprised nor disappointed when Weyrleader H’dan’s Zankath flew the Queen again. Amanth took to the skies on his own for a time, and J’hon made his way from the Weyrwoman’s weyr back to his own, had a quiet wank, and felt much more himself afterwards.

Three years hadn’t helped Daniel become a dragonrider, but it had formed a firm friendship between the two of them. Daniel was with the weyrling wing often, helping the weyrling master, M’ran, with his teaching and helping 19 new riders care for 19 tiny hatchlings. As the smallest boy with one of the largest dragons, J’hon was always grateful for the help, and if Daniel seemed to spend more time with him than anyone else, he certainly wouldn’t complain. The logical part of him knew that it was a very good idea to form a connection with Dalia’s youngest son. He knew that children in a Weyr were raised as family to everyone, but Dalia obviously still cared for her boys very much, even if the no one in the Weyr rarely saw her outside of her apartments.

More importantly, he liked Daniel. The boy had a sweet and sunny disposition, and was always happy to listen to J’hon’s stories and songs. By the time Tannath clutched again, he felt like he’d known Daniel forever.

***

“Thank heavens there’s a Queen egg,” Daniel remarked to J’hon as the rider joined him. He was perched on a ledge overlooking the hatching grounds and the 23 new eggs that Tannath was arranging lovingly, carefully on the hot sands. “It took H’dan’s mind off Ben.”

J’hon snorted. “I don’t know why it’s such a big deal to him. There’s plenty of other greens, we’ll probably see two more fly just this week. Zankath can’t possibly fly all of them. Let Santh have Fionnth. They’re obviously in love.”

To Daniel, it was obvious why the weyrleader would feel threatened by his older brother. And for all that J’hon seemed to not care or know anything about weyr politics, Daniel knew better. He knew how much shrewd intelligence J’hon was hiding behind his pretty face and seemingly carefree attitude, though he did hide it well. It was one of the things Daniel liked best about him. 

He regarded the eggs again with a shiver of excitement. “I really hope I impress this time.”

“One of those eggs holds a dragon that is going to love you fifty times more than Amanth, Santh, and Fionnth already love you, all put together.” J’hon replied earnestly. “You were born to be a dragonrider.”

Daniel gave a soft laugh, glancing down. “I hope so. There's still a chance that _my_ Dragon isn’t even in this clutch.” He chewed on his bottom lip worriedly. “I’m almost 15, Tannath might not clutch again until I’m too old to impress. I’d have to leave High Reaches for another hatching.”

J’hon wrapped an arm around his shoulders, squeezing gently, and the warm, familiar touch made Daniel’s stomach flip in a mixture of shyness in delight. He was certain that the gesture, like all of J’hon’s interactions with him, was just friendly. But lately it had become harder for him to ignore the fact that J’hon was definitely one of the most handsome boys in the weyr, and he liked J’hon’s attentions far more than he’d ever admit to the other boy.

“I know you’ll impress,” J’hon promised, squeezing him again before getting to his feet. “I’m just sad that your Dragon will be still be too small to fight thread by the time I turn 16. It would be nice to have you in my wing.”

Daniel stood, following J’hon as he started away from the hatching grounds towards the small, ground-level weyr that he and Amanth now had all to themselves. “You just want more than five riders in your wing.”

“Four,” J’hon corrected. “C’tan turns 16 in two weeks, he’s already joined M’cho’s wing to fill in the gap after all those injuries last threadfall.”

Daniel shivered at the reminder of the weyr's last fight as they climbed the steps to J’hon’s weyr. Conditions had been tough - cold, but not cold enough to freeze thread, and high winds had made it fall erratic and dangerous. He’d spent the entire Fall and far into the night helping the healers patch up thread scored dragons in their riders, all the time trying not to imagine the possibility of J’hon or Ben or Larry coming in with a serious injury. They’d lost one of the blues in M’cho’s wing to his injuries, and his heartbroken rider, as was his right, had joined another pair and quietly slid from the dragons back and into the cold of _between_. Daniel hoped the impending hatching would help restore morale in the weyr. “Just be careful, won’t you J’hon?”

“Of course. We’re still enough to do the work of Queens!” J’hon smiled widely, crossing to greet Amanth with an affectionate hug and scratching behind his eye ridge. Normally the Queens wing flew lowest in the fall, their riders using flamethrowers to sear any tangles of thread that miss the fighting wings above. But High Reaches only had one Queen, and Daniel hadn’t seen his mother fight since before his father had died. Tannath was getting old, he reasoned, though something inside him worried that there was something more to it than that.

Daniel shook off his dark thoughts and reached up to scratch Amanth's other eye ridge, smiling as the dragon's eyes half closed in pleasure. “Amanth fights better than any Dragon in the wing, don’t you Amanth? And he’s almost as big as a Queen.”

 _And just as pretty,_ Amanth agreed to his mind, tilting his head. _More right there, please, Daniel. J’hon never ever scratches me._

“That’s a lie, and you know it, you beast,” J’hon replied, elbowing his dragons side affectionately as Daniel giggled. They were a strange pair; Daniel had never met a Dragon as playful as Amanth, though he wasn’t sure if Amanth was like that because of J’hon, or if he’d chosen J’hon to be a match to his own personality. Perhaps other dragons played with their riders... but in his experience, the beasts' thought patterns were usually far too straightforward to be able to handle the nuances of humor that Amanth could. Or perhaps Daniel just never heard them. He did speak to Amanth more than any of the Dragons in the weyr.

 _You will have your own dragon soon,_ Amanth told him, as if catching his thoughts. _Then I won’t have your scratches anymore and I’ll be very sad._

“I promise I’ll still save some for you, Amanth,” Daniel said, leaning in to press a kiss to the smooth side of Amanth’s neck. “I’m sure my green won’t mind.”

He saw J’hon glance over curiously at his words, and he tried not to feel self-conscious. It was the first he'd mentioned of color to his friend. But J’hon had never been the type to dismiss green riders.

“You think you’ll ride a green, then?” J’hon asked casually. “I thought I might, you know. Before Amanth found me.”

Daniel looked to his friend in amazement. “Did you really? Larry says he knew he’d impress a green long before Fionnth hatched.“

“I didn’t really know,” J’hon admitted. “But then, I wasn’t raised in a weyr. I guess I didn’t really go into the hatching with any expectations. But I’ve always liked greens, they’re so fast. I think you’d make a good green rider.”

 _I’m fast, too_ , Amanth said pointedly, and Daniel was happy for the interruption.

As much as J’hon and Amanth tried to reassure him over the next few weeks - and Ben, Larry, and all the other dragonriders he was friends with, really - Daniel’s anxiety grew as the hatching approached. By the time the dragons began to sing on hatching day, Daniel's stomach had turned itself in so many knots that he thought he might throw up. He couldn’t bear the thought of leaving High Reaches. He just had to impress today!

He changed into his white candidate’s robe and hurried towards the hatching grounds, only to find J’hon waiting for him at the edge of the grounds. His friend gave him a warm smile, catching his arm and tugging him off to the side at the back of the cavern. “Relax, Daniel. You’ll be fine, I know it. Just try and breathe, okay?”

Daniel forced himself to draw a long, slow breath, counting as he slowly exhaled. “I’ll try. But J’hon, if I don’t impress – “

“You will,” his friend promised. “And when you do, you can bring your hatchling to mine and Amanth’s weyr and we'll sing her to sleep for you. Deal?”

Daniel felt a shiver of warmth at the thought, and smiled. “All right.”

The look on J’hon’s face suddenly softened, and Daniel felt his racing heart skip a beat at the tenderness in his friend’s eyes. Before he could question it, J’hon leaned close to press a soft kiss to his mouth, his lips lingering, warm and tender. Then he pulled away, and Daniel could see a flush coloring the cheeks of his normally carefree friend.

“For luck,” J’hon said quickly, and stepped back, smiling. “Now, go find your dragon.”

The sand in the hatching grounds was warm through his sandals as he turned to join the other candidates, 38 boys in all, and eight girls who clustered around the gold queen egg. It was good odds, but there would still be many candidates who would not impress. He glanced up to the stands to see Ben standing beside their mother and H’dan, at their place of honor near the front. He couldn’t decide if it made him feel reassured, or just more nervous…. the same as he felt about J’hon’s unexpected kiss. 

He raised his fingertips to touch his lips, wondering. He’d never seen J’hon show any interest in the girls in the weyr, though he knew there were many who‘d be all too happy to bed the handsome bronze rider. Maybe J’hon liked boys? Was that what J’hon had really been trying to tell him when they were talking about green riders?

His thoughts were interrupted by a sharp crack as the first egg broke open, and the welcoming hum of the dragons grew louder. The hatching had begun.

The first to hatch was a large bronze who knew exactly which candidate he wanted, and Daniel breathed a sigh of relief. The Weyrleader had been testy lately – hopefully this good sign would make H’dan happier. Then several eggs started to crack at once, and the hatching began in full force.

Daniel tried to keep track of the eggs he’d paid extra attention to before the hatching, but with more and more dragons finding their riders, the hatching grounds were quickly becoming chaotic. He saw one of his eggs pushed open to reveal a tiny green hatchling, like he thought, but it and another newly hatched green made a beeline for the Queen’s candidates, eliciting murmurs of surprise from the crowd. It wasn’t unheard of for girls to ride fighting greens; Daniel had grown up with a female green rider as one of his doting foster parents. But to have two greens claim girls so quickly?

The crowd’s attention was drawn back to the Queen egg as it started to crack, and Daniel tried to breathe past his worry, looking about the grounds. How many dragons were left? Almost every egg was at least beginning to crack, and dragonriders rushed past him with bowls of meat to help the new riders feed their hatchlings. What if there really wasn’t a Dragon for him? What if -

_Where are you?_

Daniel gave a sob in relief at the sweet, feminine voice that touched his mind. Thank Faranth’s egg! 

I’m here! He thought towards the voice, looking around the hatching grounds excitedly. All the greens he could see were already with candidates, bolting down food. Maybe she was still trying to hatch? He took a few steps out into the grounds, calling out verbally. “I’m here, but I can’t see you! Have you hatched?”

 _I’m hungry and I’m hatched and I can’t find you!_ The voice started to sound panicked. _Why won’t they let me get to you? Where are you?_

Daniel turned around in a circle, scanning the grounds, trying to see. He turned back to the cave entrance, just in case he’d already past her. “I’m here! Tell me how to find you!”

“Get out of her way!” Someone yelled out behind him, and Daniel whirled around.

The girls standing in front of him had scattered, and the newly hatched queen bounded joyfully across hot sands….

Headed straight for him. 

Daniel stumbled in panic, dropping to his knees. She couldn’t - how could she possibly - she couldn’t be for him, not the Queen!

Trilling happily, the gold hatchling ran to him, nuzzling his chest and cheek, and everything in the world became lost to the rush of emotion he felt as his eyes locked with the beautiful, multifaceted blue-green of hers. 

_I found you!_

***

Ben shifted his weight from one foot to the other, trying not fidget as he stood beside his mother in the stands overlooking the hatching grounds. He could see Larry down in the bowl with a number of the other riders they’d been weyrlings with, waiting beside huge bowls of meat to help distribute them once the dragons started hatching. He wanted to be down there, too, but K’ton had quietly suggested that he should ask his mother’s permission to stand at her side during the hatching. He’d known immediately that it was a good idea. H’dan had looked displeased, but Dalia had broken into a rare smile and thanked him so profusely for asking that H’dan hadn’t dared to say no.

Of course, being in the bowl wouldn’t help his brother impress, but Ben couldn’t help but think that if he wished for it hard enough, his wishes would bring Daniel luck. He looked at the candidates carefully as they started to make their way onto the hatching grounds in their plain white robes. Some he knew, some were from outside the weyr. He tried to remember back to his own hatching. Had he ever been as small as some of the boys who stood on the sands now?

The eight girls who had been led to stand as candidates around the Queen’s egg fidgeted and whispered to each other. Half of them were H’dan’s personal picks: curvy, flirtatious things that Ben thought might have more beauty than sense. The other four stood more quietly, watching the egg. What would it be like be like, to have a new Queen? His mother had been Weyrwoman of High Reaches as long as he’d remembered. Tannath had only clutched two Queen eggs prior to this: one had gone on to be Weyrwoman at Igen shortly after Daniel was born, and the other had gone _between_ a year later when her rider had died in childbirth. H’dan obviously wanted woman that he could control. Ben could only hope that the little queen would choose one of the others.

Ben felt a shiver of excitement as he finally saw Daniel appear in the hatching grounds, looking nervous and a little dazed. He raised a hand to wave down to him, but his brother didn’t notice, too focused on the clutch of eggs in front of him. Suddenly one of the eggs began to crack, and within a few moments a tiny baby bronze was stumbling excitedly towards one of the candidates. It was a lucky sign.

Ben glanced to Dalia to see her reaction, and was disappointed but not entirely surprised to see none.  
His mother had become a different person when his father died, and when he’d returned to High Reaches, he hardly recognized her. There was nothing of the smiling, confident Weyrwoman he’d remembered from his youth… And sometimes he wondered if there was anything left of the woman at all. Dalia spoke little, and looked like she slept even less, her blue eyes glassy and dazed. He’d discovered on his return that she kept no one’s counsel but H’dan’s. If it hadn’t have been for headwoman Alice’s willingness to cover for the distraught Weyrwoman, he was certain the domestic running of the weyr would have fallen into ruin.

The murmur of the crowd around him grew as the large golden Queen egg began to crack. Ben felt his heart pounding in his ears, excitement shivering through him. It was impossible not to be caught up in the emotion of it, not with every Dragon in the weyr watching so excitedly.

The tiny Queen finally broke free of her egg, wobbling on unsteady legs as she turned around inside her circle of candidates twice. Then he stared, astonished as she pushed through them, headed straight for his younger brother.

H’dan lunged forward, hanging half over the rail, his eyes wide. “What the hell does he think he’s doing?” He shouted, and started to push his way to the edge of the stands.

Ben looked quickly back to Dalia. Her eyes were focused on the hatching grounds, but the little queen dragon’s choice of rider hadn’t evoked any change in her expression. He reached out to take her elbow, tugging, trying to rouse her attention. “Dalia. She chose Daniel. You’ll need to train him. Dalia. Mother!”

Dalia drew a sudden, sharp breath, as if waking from sleep. She blinked as she turned her focus to him. “… Daniel? My Daniel?”

“A Queen rider,” Ben repeated, and started to pull her towards the edge of the stands. “You need to train him. H’dan’s upset. We can’t let him upset Daniel.”

There was a sudden intensity to Dalia’s expression that Ben hadn’t seen in a very long time. “We can’t let him upset Daniel,” she repeated, and suddenly she was the one pulling Ben along.

M’ran, thankfully, was blocking H’dan’s entrance to the hatching grounds with K’ton at his side. “She’s chosen, H’dan. She’s impressed. You can’t change that!”

“I can, and I will! There is no way I’m going to let a Queen in my weyr – “

“Stop!” Dalia’s cry was echoed by a bugle of challenge from Tannath, and instantly all sounds died down in the weyr. H’dan didn’t even try to resist as she pushed him aside and entered the grounds, grabbing a bucket of meat and carrying it to where Daniel was clinging to the hatchling Queen’s neck. “Feed her, Daniel. What’s her name?”

Daniel swallowed hard and blinked back tears. “Khe- Kheironth,” he stammered. Then suddenly he stood, raising his voice. “Her name’s Kheironth. And she’s mine!”

“Feed her,” Dalia commanded again, thrusting the bucket of food at him and then standing tall to face the stands. “Our new Queen, Kheironth, and her chosen rider, Daniel!”

All around the edge of the Weyr, dragons bugled happily, and Tannath was loudest of all. The crowd in the stands burst into applause, though Ben couldn’t tell if it was genuine excitement or just the dragons’ emotions pulling everyone along for the ride. This was definitely going to be the talk of Pern.

Ben glanced back towards the edge of the grounds, where H’dan was engaged in a terse conversation with M’ran, K’ton, and one of the other wing leaders. Ben shivered despite the heat of the hatching grounds, worried for the first time that their plans against the Weyrleader were going to hurt Daniel.

***

The hatching had been a blur to J’hon, a blur of sound and people and tiny dragons as he carried out bucket after bucket of food, on autopilot. He couldn’t stop thinking about how good it had felt finally stop questioning and just act, claiming his friend’s sweet rosebud lips with his own. He couldn’t forget the wide-eyed, adoring look Daniel had given him when he pulled back, the flush coloring his cheeks….

Then the blur of the hatching fell away to a single, crystal-clear image: Daniel, on his knees in the sand, with eyes only for a little gold hatchling just as radiant and beautiful is Daniel was. A gold, a Queen, the dragon that every bronze in the weyr would one day be chasing. Kheironth, Daniel proclaimed proudly, bolder than J’hon had ever seen him. 

Before he could make sense of everything and go to see him, the Weyrwoman had arrived, and her and Ben quickly herded Daniel and the tiny Queen from the sands, and out of the fuming H’dan’s sight.

By the time the hatching was finally finished and the new riders sent off with their hatchlings, the shock had worn off, leaving only unanswered questions. How was it possible that a boy could impress a Queen? Would they even let Daniel train to be Weyrwoman? Daniel would never fight in anything other than the Queens wing, J’hon realized with sudden sadness. They’d never fight thread together. And with a queen dragon as Daniel’s companion… Would he even need J’hon’s friendship?

 _You worry too much,_ Amanth said gently to his mind. _He’s still Daniel. Come back to the weyr now. We have a promise to keep._

Of course. J’hon jogged across the bowl towards where Amanth was waiting for him at the edge of their weyr. He grabbed the case for his lute from inside and climbed up onto Amanth’s back. “Will they even let us see him?”

_I asked. He is waiting._

J’hon nodded, holding on tight as Amanth took off into the air. He knew that the Queen’s quarters directly below Dalia’s had been opened up in anticipation of the new Queen’s impression, so that was where they flew, spotting Daniel and the little hatchling Queen on the ledge outside the weyr as they landed.

J’hon bounded up the steps, then stopped, feeling awkward as he looked down at his friend. Daniel had turned his attention away from his Dragon, giving J’hon a hesitant, shy smile. “Hey.”

“Hey,” J’hon managed to reply, his heart pounding. Then he forced himself to push away his insecurity. He made eye contact with Kheironth and dropped into an elaborate, courtly bow. “It is my honor to meet you, your Majesty. And may I commend you for choosing the most excellent dragonrider in all of Pern?”

Daniel flushed, laughing as he looked back to her, his gaze returning to J’hon a moment later. “Oh! Sorry, I – I mean, she says of course she did, and flattery will get you everywhere. She likes you.” He glanced away at those last words, flushing darker.

“I only speak the truth,” J’hon assured, as much for Daniel as for her. “Your Majesty, if we may, my humble dragon Amanth and I promised we could come and pay tribute to you with music. May we play for you?”

“We’d like that very much,” Daniel replied softly, his blue eyes shining.

J’hon sat down a few feet away from them, taking his lute from its case. Amanth sat up on his hind legs on the grass beside the weyr, leaning on his forearms on the ledge and waiting patiently for J’hon to start. J’hon took a moment to regard his audience, thinking. He’d planned on starting with ‘Fighting Thread’, like he had on the day that Amanth had hatched, but it didn’t seem appropriate now. Thinking over every song about dragons that he’d committed to memory, he chose one and started to play, smiling as Amanth’s hum joined his tenor.

_“The little queen all golden flew hissing at the sea. To stop each wave, her clutch to save She ventured bravely!”_

***


	3. Chapter 3

J’hon’s music was a welcome distraction to the worries of the day. Daniel had known at the moment of impression that the match was true. Kheironth was perfect. His Queen. When he’d thought that he wanted a green, it was because it seemed safe, he knew that now. But for the first time he realized he wanted more than to just fade into the background. That Kheironth could very well push him to be more than he ever thought he could be.

But it didn’t mean that it would be easy.

Ben arrived at his weyr late in the afternoon, looking weary. He nodded to J’hon, who had put his lute aside and spent the last candlemark or so in conversation with Daniel. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to steal my brother from you. Weyr business.”

“Eww, business. He’s all yours, B’min.” J’hon grinned teasingly and stood, stretching. “I’ll bring some food up for you in a candlemark, Daniel. Kheironth, too. She’ll be hungry again when she wakes up.”

“Thank you,” Daniel replied, a little sorry to see him leave. He went with Ben back into the weyr, taking him past the curtain the entrance to the sleeping room and into a small, secondary room that held a table and a few chairs. There were many empty shelves, as well as a desk, and he thought that a previous Queen rider to inhabit the weyr must have used it for record-keeping duties, and for a place to hold private counsel. He looked up at his brother. “Tell me the worst of it.”

Ben pulled back one of the chairs and sat down, waiting for Daniel to join him before answering. “The worst of it? I don’t know that yet. It’s not like anyone can deny your impression. There’s still a very good chance you can take over as Weyrwoman from Dalia.”

“Weyrwoman?” Daniel gave a short, hard laugh. “I’m a boy. No one would let me become the Senior Queen rider, even if I could.”

“Don’t be so sure about that,” Ben replied leaning forward and holding his gaze intently. “Daniel, listen. You’ve fostered at four different Weyrs with me. You’ve been helping Alice since we came back here, and you know she’s the one who’s actually kept our Weyr in one piece during mother’s… grief. You’ve helped M’ran with the weyrlings, and you’ve worked with our healers from sunup to sundown during every threadfall.”

Daniel glanced away, feeling his cheeks heat. “I - I just wanted to be useful.”

“I know you did. But whether you intended it or not, Daniel, you’ve already learned more about being Weyrwoman then any of the candidates we put in front of Kheironth’s egg today. And most importantly? You can hear every dragon in this thread forsaken Weyr, Daniel. Every Dragon. So I made sure that every wing leader and wing second at the meeting today knew how stupid they’d be to deny those advantages to High Reaches just because you’re a boy.”

Daniel tried to take in his brother’s words, watching him with wide eyes. It had been a long time since he’d seen Ben be this fervent about anything other than his dragon, his weyrmate, or fighting thread. “And what did they say?”

Ben leaned back in his chair. “That you can train under Dalia for now. If we don’t have another Queen in three years, and if Tannath has not flown, then they’ll open the weyr for leadership. The first Queen to fly in all of Pern will be our new Weyrwoman.”

Daniel tried to decide whether the wing leaders’ lack of faith in him was a disappointment or a relief. “Maybe that’s best.”

“You don’t want to be the Senior Queen rider?”

“It’s not that I don’t,” Daniel tried to explain. “I’m sure that I can learn to be, I don’t think Kheironth would have chosen me if I didn’t have the ability. But what’s best for High Reaches? There are other Weyrs with two or three Queens, women who’ve been training for longer than I have. Like Serrah and Innanth at Fort Weyr. Maybe they’d be a better choice anyways.” He and Ben had spent a year at Fort Weyr before they’d fostered at Ista, and he’d like the Junior Queen rider very much. She’d been a healer before she was chosen, and was smart, genteel, and kind.

“If we could be certain that Innanth would rise first it would be different story,” Ben replied. “But it could be any Queen, maybe one that wouldn’t be good for High Reaches. Maybe one that…” He stopped suddenly, looking conflicted. “There are more complicated things to consider, Daniel.”

Daniel watched his brother carefully. “Like the fact that someone has been mismanaging our tithe, and H’dan is either involved or turning a blind eye?”

Ben’s eyes widened slightly, and he leaned forward, voice low and urgent. “Where did you hear that from?”

“Alice still had access to the inventory records when we arrived here, she taught me a little. She’d been keeping track of inconsistencies in the stores compared to what came in. Mostly craft goods, like fine cloth, leather and spices. Things that could sell easily. Nothing huge, nothing that would make the weyr suffer, but the quantities are adding up over time. She was concerned that someone was stealing, but when she took it to H’dan he just told her he’d take care of it and then cut off her access to the records. I think he may have threatened her with something, Ben. I’ve never seen her scared about anything until that day.”

Ben’s lips thinned slightly, shifting as he considered Daniel’s words. “Larry thought she might be suspicious about something, but she won’t talk to him. I’m surprised she told you.”

“Only to warn me away from it,” he replied. “I don’t trust H’dan. The circumstances surrounding him becoming weyr leader are too convenient. Ben, if he’s been siphoning from tithe goods, who knows what he’s been doing with the coin we receive? We’ll need those reserves to maintain the weyr through the interval when Lord Holders are safe from Thread and less generous.”

His brother nodded slowly, and sighed. “I really didn’t want to get you involved in this. I guess Kheironth has decided otherwise. Daniel, we can’t let H’dan stay in power when the pass ends. We need a Queen to take over from Dalia who is strong enough not to let Zankath fly her. Maybe that needs to be you. Maybe that’s why Kheironth chose you.”

Daniel chewed at his bottom lip. “I don’t know, Ben. What you’re asking… I just feel so… insignificant.”

“Never,” Ben said, voice thick with emotion. “Don’t ever think that of yourself. You’re a Queen rider, you had that strength and intelligence inside you long before Kheironth chose you. You have to realize that this is bigger than just you and me, Daniel. Do you care for High Reaches enough to do what needs to be done?”

Daniel nodded. “What you need me to do?”

“First, don’t tell anyone about your suspicions, it’s not safe. Don’t tell anyone that there are people in this weyr who are working against H’dan’s leadership. It is a good chance he has people helping him, and we have no way of knowing who we can trust.”

“Of course. What else?”

Ben reached out to take one of Daniel’s hands in both of his. “Wake Dalia,” he said urgently. “Today when you impressed it was the first time I’d seen her take action on anything since father died. Mother was always sweet on you. Impressing Kheironth means you’ll have access to her. If anything can pull her from her melancholy, it will be you. Wake her, Daniel. Make her train you. Make her be our Weyrwoman again.”

Daniel covered one of Ben’s hands with his free one, squeezing gently. “There’s nothing in the world that would make me happier.”

***

 

For his first few months of being a dragon rider, Daniel’s time was completely devoted to Kheironth. Feeding, bonding, washing and scrubbing, then oiling her bright hide as it stretched over her quickly growing form. J’hon was at his side to help him whenever he could escape his duties, something that he was very grateful for. The other hatchlings, the ones would grow to be fighting dragons, operated under M’ran’s watchful eye, as all weyrlings did. But it was the Weyrwoman’s responsibility to train and oversee new Queens. As the weeks passed, Dalia came to his new weyr less and less, and Daniel began to despair of being able to do as Ben had asked.

“Why don’t you just go to her?” J’hon asked one afternoon as he and Daniel oiled Kheironth’s hide for what seemed like the 10th time that week. With how big she was growing, Daniel was grateful for the help, though still unsure as to where he stood with the other rider. When J’hon had kissed him on hatching day, it had sent his emotions into turmoil. J’hon had been the first person to turn his head when he’d gotten old enough to start thinking about things like love, and he’d hoped that J’hon’s kiss had meant that his feelings were returned. But J’hon hadn’t made any attempt to repeat his actions since, and Daniel had been forced to admit that the kiss must have just only been for luck.

“I’ve tried,” Daniel told him. “Tannath won’t let me in through the weyr, she just says that mother’s sleepy and doesn’t want to be disturbed. And the inside door to her quarters is always locked, I think only H’dan has the key. I need access to the weyr records if I’m to continue my training. Alice can’t teach me that.”

“Why don’t you just learn them yourself?” J’hon scrubbed a little harder at the spot he was working on as Kheironth gave a sigh of contentment. “You’re a Queen rider, you have every right to be in the records room. Just go get what you need, and if anyone asks, tell them Dalia sent you. It’s probably better to let people believe that she’s taking an active hand in your training, anyway.”

Daniel immediately saw the wisdom in his words. Ben had already counselled against telling anyone that Dalia hadn't been training him. If the wing leaders found her in neglect of her duties, they would be far less likely to recognize Daniel as a strong candidate to take over. He looked up at J’hon. “Could you help me? You used to keep records when you were a Harper apprentice, right?”

“I’d be happy to help you with anything you’d like,” J’hon replied, glancing over at him with a smile that seemed almost wistful. He seemed to catch himself, and cleared his throat. “Why don’t you go get some now? I’ll keep working on Kheironth. We can do some reading when we’re done.”

Needing no further encouragement, Daniel left his weyr and started across the bowl to the entrance to the common caverns. The records room was set deep into the system of caves that made up High Reaches, close to the Council room used by H’dan and the wing leaders when they met. Few people had reason to travel that way, and he met no one as he made his way up halls and staircases. Then, as he was about to open the door to the records room, he heard the low rumble of voices inside and froze.

For a moment he considered abandoning his quest and going back to his weyr. But who would have reason to be in the records room? Quietly he pressed his ear to the edge of the door and try to make out what was being said.

“You’re looking at this the wrong way, H’dan,” said a voice inside. “Maybe this is a good thing.”

Daniel didn’t recognize the first voice, the second man who spoke was definitely the weyr leader. “How do you mean?”

“Continue with him like you have with Dalia. The boy isn't exactly a spitfire. If he takes over for his mother you can control him like you have with her, and no one will be the wiser about what we’re doing with the Weyr’s finances.”

There was silence for a moment before H’dan spoke again. “Dalia may notice. Daniel’s one of the few things she still cares about. You saw how she was on hatching day.”

“Dalia won't be an issue if you increase her dosage, so just arrange for the bare minimum of training for him so the rest of the wing leaders don’t realize that she’s unfit. Keep him insecure, make him believe that he needs you to take care of him.”

"Hmmm. I suppose we could find some way to slip him the drug. Keep his mind in the clouds and body in my bed. I could lower myself to bedding a boy on a regular basis if it meant sodomizing C'son's youngest son."

It was all Daniel needed to hear, and he couldn’t risk staying longer and being caught. He crept quietly away from the door, heart pounding, trying to be as silent as possible.

Once he was well away from the room he broke into a run, gasping for breath as panic took hold. What could he do? He had to see Ben. He stretched his mind out towards his brother’s Dragon, and was immediately hit with an overwhelming mix of need-joy-lust. Daniel stumbled, catching himself against the wall and yanking his mind away immediately, thinking towards Kheironth instead. _Where is Santh??_

Kheironth’s mind roused instantly at Daniel’s query. _You are upset! Who upset you? Who hurt my rider?_

 _I’m okay, dear heart. I’m fine,_ he thought back quickly, continuing on his way back to his weyr. _I just need to speak with Ben. Where is Santh? Is he chasing someone? I didn’t think that anyone had flown today._

 _Santh and his rider went somewhere where no one can get at Fionnth but him,_ Kheironth answered. _They have not flown yet. I cannot call them back until they are finished. Amanth and J’hon want to know why you are upset? I also wish to know._

 _I’ll be back soon,_ Daniel replied, hurrying down the steps into the bowl of the Weyr and starting towards his own. When he arrived, Kheironth’s eyes were still whirling yellow and red with concern, and J’hon was stroking her neck and murmuring to her in low tones to try and soothe her. He stepped away from her to meet him.

“Are you okay? Kheironth suddenly became very upset, but she wouldn’t respond to me or Amanth - ”

“Not here. Kheironth, please make sure no one comes into the weyr.” Daniel pushed past him went inside. What could he tell J’hon? Ben had said not to trust anyone. But J’hon had always been his friend.

He’d gone into his weyr’s small receiving room on instinct, wanting privacy, and he stopped halfway down the length of the table and turned to look back at J’hon, who stood hesitantly in the doorway. J’hon had always been his friend, but what were the chances that it was a clever ploy? Could he somehow be allied with H’dan? There was no way J’hon or anyone could have known that Kheironth would choose him, Daniel realized suddenly. There would have been no reason for J’hon to fake a friendship when they met, beyond Dalia being his mother. And while he knew that J’hon’s carefree and often flippant attitude around other riders was a farce, he’d never tried to hide his intelligence from Daniel.

And if he couldn’t trust his best friend, Daniel realized, he might as well just give in now and offer himself to H’dan.

J’hon moved towards him slowly, reaching a hand up to touch his arm. “Daniel? Did someone hurt you?”

Suddenly he couldn’t hold it inside anymore. He choked back a sob. “I can trust you, can’t I? You’re on my side? No matter what happens?”

J’hon’s expression grew more concerned, and he stepped closer, thumb stroking his bicep. “Of course I am. You have my word on that, Daniel. I swear by the shards of Amanth’s egg. If someone’s hurt you -”

Daniel pressed close with a soft sob that gave way to tears as J’hon’s arms came up to embrace him tightly. It felt good to be close to him, and suddenly Daniel needed his sympathy and counsel more than anything else. The words spilled out before he could stop them, everything he’d overheard H’dan say, right down to wanting Daniel in his bed.

He could feel J’hon grow tense as he spoke, his arms tightening around Daniel, and when he spoke his voice was low and angry. “You think he’s been drugging your mother?”

“It’s what he said. It would explain… a lot, really. Shards, J’hon! What can I do?” 

J’hon drew back just enough to meet his gaze, searching his eyes before seemed to make a decision. “I need to tell you something. I know I can trust you. You aren’t the only one is concerned about what’s happening at High Reaches. Your father’s death was very suspicious. Harper Shyoto and I were both asked by the Masterharper to keep our ears to the ground here. I’ve heard rumors, but we don’t have anything concrete enough to act on. If we can find some kind of proof of foul play, we can take it to the Masterharper.”

J’hon’s words didn’t surprise him at all, and explained much of what he knew about his friend. And if they could find proof, the Masterharper was one of the few people on Pern who could help make things right. “We need proof,” he repeated, then made a decision, pulling away. “I’m going into my mother’s weyr.”

J’hon followed him as he started for the mouth of his weyr. “I thought Tannath wouldn’t let you.”

“I’ll try again. I have to know for sure, J’hon.” He turned as he reached the mouth of his weyr. “Stay here with Kheironth. Wait for me. Please?”

His friend didn’t look particularly happy, but nodded, returning to where Kheironth was stretched out in the sun.

Daniel started up the steps to his mother’s weyr, reaching with his mind for the golden Queen that sat curled in front of it. _Tannath. I need to go into mother’s weyr. Will you please let me in?_

 _Dalia is sleeping,_ came the response. _She is very tired. She does not want to see anyone. She should not be disturbed._

It was the same thing he got every time he tried. Still, he continued, completing the climb to stand on the edge of the ledge and look Tannath in the eyes. “I’m sorry, Tannath, but this is very important. I need to come in. I promise I won’t disturb Dalia. You know I would never do anything to hurt her. But she might be in danger. Please let me come in.”

Tannath’s blue eyes whirled with flecks of gold, and Daniel felt her mind brushed his, questing wordlessly for his intentions. He tried to reinforce his words silently, to impress on her the importance of what he’d said. Finally, the large Dragon lowered her head. _You may pass. Don’t disturb her._

“I promise,” he told her, and quietly slipped into the weyr.

He didn’t need to search. The table in the main room of his mother’s weyr held the remains of breakfast and an empty wineskin, along with two of the dark glass bottles that healers used for medicine. He pulled the stopper from one and sniffed it cautiously. Fellis juice, a painkiller. The second was an oily tincture and smelled pungent, like nothing he’d ever encountered before. He contemplated the bottle for a moment. If he could find out what it was, maybe there’d be some way to trace it back to H’dan….

He picked up one of the cups that sat on the table and rinsed it with water from the half-empty drinking pitcher. Then he poured some of the tincture into it, taking it with him from the weyr with the mental thanks to Tannath.

Back in his own weyr, he handed the cup to J’hon while he found a small empty bottle to pour it into. “Do you have any idea what it might be?”

J’hon shook his head, watching Daniel stopper the bottle and took it into the pouch that hung from his belt. “Is there anyone you trust enough to take this to?” he asked seriously. “We have to be careful, Daniel….”

“I know,” Daniel replied, worrying at his bottom lip. As much as what H’dan had said had a chilled him, he knew that it would be extremely dangerous to make an accusation towards the weyr leader without undeniable proof. “I know a few people that healer ties could look into it for me, but I don’t want to involve anyone else in this. What if we don’t tell them where it came from?”

“Won’t people ask questions?” 

“I’ll think of something. We have to take this outside the weyr, though, some place away from H’dan. If only I knew of a safe way to get it to Fort Weyr without arousing H’dan’s suspicions….”

J’hon looked towards Kheironth where she sat at the mouth to the weyr, stretched out asleep again in the sunshine. “If she’s still here,” he mused slowly, “then as long as we’re not gone for too long I think everyone will assume that you’re still here as well. Will her Majesty mind if I steal you away?”

Daniel considered his dragon for a moment. She’d be full-sized at the time she was a year old, and while she could certainly fly - and did very well when it came to hunting! - she was still too young to ride, especially since Daniel himself was almost grown to full height. No one would expect him to leave the weyr without her. For now she was still well fed from yesterday, and preferred to sleep during the heat of the afternoon. He shook his head. “No, not if we’re not gone too long. You’ll fly me on Amanth?”

“He’ll meet us up by the watch stone,” J’hon replied, green eyes shining in excitement. “Come on, we’ll take the stairs inside. We’ll be back before class this afternoon. No one will even know you’ve been gone.”

Daniel hadn’t left High Reaches since before the hatching. But as he climbed up onto Amanth back and seated himself behind J’hon, the shiver of excitement that coursed through him had little to do with flying, and much more to do with the warmth of J’hon’s body against his. He pressed closer as Amanth took to the air, tightening his arms around J’hon’s waist and letting his face rest against his friend’s shoulder. He shouldn’t torture himself, he knew, but it felt so nice to be close to him again….

For a few seconds, everything disappeared to the cold of _between_. Then they emerged in the bright sunshine above Fort. Amanth bugled welcome to the watch Dragon, calling out his name, then circling down into the weyr. Daniel glanced towards the Queens’ weyrs, but neither gold Dragon was visible. Hopefully the woman he was looking for would be in…

Just land by the entrance please, Amanth, he thought towards the dragon, and Amanth descended into the bowl to land by the main entrance to the lower caverns.

Reluctantly, Daniel pulled away from the warmth of J’hon’s body to slide down off Amanth back, J’hon following a few seconds later. _It’s very hot today. I will go lie in the sun until the two of you are done,_ Amanth told them before taking off.

With his hand rest and protectively over the glass bottle inside his bag, Daniel made his way inside. It didn’t take long to find someone he recognized from the time he and Ben spent at Fort. “Gia! Do you know if Serrah is in today? I need to talk to her.”

The healer girl smiled knowingly, taking his arm. “We thought we might see you here, since High Reaches won’t have a Queen rise for quite some time. We were so excited to hear about your Queen, you know. Don’t worry, you’re not too late. Serrah’s testy, of course, riders always are when the Queen goes into heat. But she can still tell you all about it. Come with me.”

It took a moment for Daniel to realize what she was referring to, and he felt his cheeks heat. He knew about mating, of course. It was impossible to grow up in a weyr without being exposed to the kind of passion that linked riders and their dragons. Not long after Kheironth had hatched, his brother had brought Larry to him, who had quietly sat down and kindly explained the details. “Green riders take care of each other,” he’d told him, and given him a very nice little care package. “Just because you impressed our Queen doesn’t mean you’re not one of us. So don’t be frightened, okay? If you need anything, just ask.”

Daniel chided himself for allowing himself to be distracted by thoughts of sex, and followed Gia out of the weyr and across the bowl. She stopped at the bottom of the staircase that led up to the Queens Weyrs, contemplating them for a moment before turning back to Daniel. “I should probably go make sure she can take visitors,” she said, then motioned towards one of the small weyrling weyrs set into the cliff at ground-level. “You can wait here, it’s empty. I’ll be back in a moment.”

“Thank you,” Daniel replied, catching J’hon’s sleeve and tugging him up and into the shade. “Will Amanth be all right here with a Queen in heat?”

J’hon shrugged, perching on one of the padded stone benches against the wall. “I’d imagine so. He tried to fly Tannath the last time she rose, you know. Didn’t really get near her. I think he’s still too young to catch a Queen.”

Daniel felt a sudden rush of jealousy at the thought, and pushed it away. “Oh,” he managed to reply, feeling awkward as he stood in front of the bench. “That’s… good, I guess.” Then, before he could stop himself, the words came out. “Will he fly for Kheironth?”

J’hon’s head jerked up, lips parting slightly as he searched his face. Then he looked down again. “Daniel…”

“I’m sorry,” Daniel said quickly, turning away and pacing into the weyr. “I -forget I said, I - “

“I wasn’t certain you’d want him to,” J’hon said softly behind him. Daniel heard him stand, and a moment later one hand came to rest on his shoulder. “You know that nearly every bronze in High Reaches will want to fly her.”

His words made Daniel feel a strange mixture of embarrassment and arousal. He turned back to face him, heart thumping. “But I don’t want every bronze in the weyr! I - shards, this is coming out all wrong. I didn’t want things to be this complex, J’hon! It would be so much easier if she was just a little green like Fionnth, and then I could – “ he stopped, letting out a long sigh. “If wishes were runners.”

J’hon gave him a soft, sad smile, moving the hand on Daniel’s shoulder to slide up into his hair. “I want Amanth to fly her,” he said, with an unusual huskiness to his voice. “I want that very much. I wanted you to be my little green rider, and more than that. I just… don’t want to disappoint you now.”

The intensity in J’hon’s gaze in the caress of his fingers in his hair made Daniel feel like he could hardly breathe. He stepped closer, moving his hands to rest lightly on his friend’s chest, and was unable to resist the urge to touch him, sliding them up over his shoulders and around his neck. There was a flash of hunger in J’hon’s eyes, and he caught Daniel’s hip with his free hand, fingers tangling in the fabric of his pants. Daniel gave a soft whimper despite himself. “How could you ever disappoint me?” He managed to gasp in reply, giving in to the slight pressure on his hip and letting himself arch against the J’hon’s body.

“Will you still want me if he doesn’t fly her?” J’hon asked softly, tongue darting out to moisten his lips, and just the thought of it of it made Daniel moan softly with want.

“I’ve wanted you since the day you kissed me on the hatching grounds,” Daniel replied. J’hon’s words, his expression, warmth of his body pressed close - he’d never felt so aroused in his life. “I don’t want to wait until she flies,” he said. He heard J’hon gave a low, appreciative hum in the back of his throat. Then his fingers tightened in Daniel’s hair, pulling him closer as he leaned in to claim his mouth.

The warm, yearning caress of J’hon’s lips was even better than he remembered, and Daniel’s lips parted eagerly to the flick his tongue, every nerve in his body singing with joy in the desire for more. He was already half hard, and he whimpered as J’hon’s hips shifted against his, sending a shudder of pleasure through him.

That’s when he realized he could hear the dragons bugling outside in the weyr. He opened his mind to them, and was instantly overwhelmed by blast of both understanding and arousal. “J’hon - ! Scorch it, I – Innanth is rising!”

“I know,” J’hon murmured, arms tightening around him. “Amanth will chase her. I should go to Serrah…”

“Stay here,” Daniel whimpered, pressing his forehead to J’hon’s, breath coming in short pants. He’d heard about the effect that a rising Queen could have on anyone in her vicinity, and the thought of having to go through it alone… “Innanth is so strong right now, I can’t - I can’t help but feel her. Please don’t leave me like this…”

J’hon buried his face in his hair, fingers digging into his back as he held him close. He gave a soft, helpless groan. “I’ll stay. Anything you want. Just… Just don’t know if I can control myself….” He drew a sharp breath, and on the far side of the weyr, Daniel could see the flight of bronzes that launched themselves into the air as Serrah’s Queen took flight. He could see flashes of images, though he wasn’t sure if they were from Amanth, or every Dragon that flew. What was stronger was the feel of it, the hot, aching arousal the coursed through his body. He couldn’t imagine how much more intense would be for J’hon. He couldn’t imagine how much more intense it would be for him when Kheironth flew and took his mind with her.

“Come on,” he murmured, taking J’hon deeper into the weyr. A thin curtain separated the main room from a small sleeping chamber, and as he pulled him inside it was hard not to think about what might happen. “J’hon?”

The other rider still held tightly to him, fingers clenched in the fabric of his pants. He arched closer to him, pressing his face to Daniel’s hair and drawing sharp, shuddering gasps against his hair. “He wants her so,” he gasped, his body tight and trembling and Daniel’s grasp. “But I - I want - Amanth, look away!”

Daniel ran his fingers through his hair, trying to focus on him, and not the input from the dragons. “It’s okay. It’s okay, love. Let him fly. Fly as far and as fast as he can. Tell Amanth to watch and learn how to catch a Queen.”

J’hon whimpered, mouthing trembling, restless kisses over his ear and down his neck. “I just want you,” he tried to argue, nosing aside the neckline of his shirt and drawing his tongue up his throat. “Shards, Daniel -!”

“You’ve caught me,” he said, and took J’hon’s face in his hands, holding him still and claiming his mouth again. “I’m here, J’hon. Stay with me.”

The Queen’s flight felt like it would last forever, but soon enough Innanth let one of the Fort Weyr bronzes catch her and claim their prize. Instantly Daniel could feel J’hon relax against him, and his friend breathed a soft moan of relief. His hands smoothed warmly up Daniel’s back and down again as he nuzzled along his jaw. “My Daniel…”

The lingering arousal of the dragons was still just as maddening for him, but Daniel tried to hold back. “You sure you want this?” He asked, and J’hon pulled back just enough to look at him, green eyes dark with desire.

“You’re the light of my life,” he murmured, sealing his words with a slow, warm kiss. “Anything you want, Daniel…”

Daniel pulled back to unfasten the pouch from around his waist carefully and set it aside. Then he smoothed his hands down J’hon’s chest to grasp the bottom of his shirt and draw it off over his head. “We should celebrate the Queen’s flight,” he said, stepping back to sit on the edge of the bed. “Please….”

J’hon’s eyes moved over him, a small, appreciative smile playing at the corners of his mouth. Then he bent to claim his mouth again, hands pushing up under his shirt, almost tearing it as he pulled it off. “Beautiful Daniel,” he agreed between kisses, urging him back into the bed, the flat of his palm stroking hungrily over his chest. He knelt over his body, nipping lightly at Daniel’s bottom lip as his fingers toyed with one small, pink nipple, groaning appreciatively in response to the sharp gasp and pulled from Daniel’s throat.

The mix of anxiety and arousal that Daniel felt was overwhelming, but the warmth of J’hon’s kisses was far too addicting for him to ever want to stop, despite how shy he felt under J’hon’s appreciative gaze. He drew a sharp gasp as J’hon’s hand smoothed down to cup his erection through his pants, palming him gently as he ground the length of his own cock against Daniel’s hip. Daniel bit his lip on a cry, bucking up against J’hon’s hand before he could stop himself. “J’hon -!”

“Want you so bad,” J’hon murmured against his skin, sucking hot kisses along his jaw and nipping lightly at his neck. “Can you feel how hard you make me?” His hand slipped into the waistband of Daniel’s pants, cupping his cock and stroking slowly, thumb swiping through the slick of arousal at the head. The whimper that escaped his lips sounded helpless. “So gorgeous, love, so hard and wet for me…”

“I don’t have anything with me,” Daniel gasped in apology, shuddering as J’hon’s fingers stroked slowly down his shaft again. “Oh - !”

J’hon drew back with a little questioning noise, looking down at him. There was a sudden flash of comprehension, and he smiled, reclaiming his hand and sitting up only to ease Daniel’s pants down around his thighs. His smile widened as he stroked both hands over his hips, leaning down to press a warm kiss to his chest. “There’s still hundred and one things I want to do to you,” he replied, sucking one peaked nipple into his mouth.

Within moments, there wasn’t a single thought left in Daniel’s head to allocate to worry. It wasn’t like what he imagined things would be like when he finally experienced Kheironth’s flight. He was completely grounded in the here and now, a slave to J’hon’s fingers and the press of his mouth. He knew it would be different when Kheironth mated, that he’d craved penetration as badly as she did, but for now he gave himself over completely to the pleasure J’hon seemed set on inflicting. When his lover slid down farther to lick up the length of his cock, Daniel cried out, hands fisting in his dark curls. He watched incredulously as J’hon’s lips parted over the head of his cock, hot and wet and stretched pink around him. The sight of his lover’s green eyes, gazing up intently at him through his dark fringe of eyelash was almost as good as the slick heat of his mouth, and Daniel quickly found himself whimpering aloud, gasping for breath as he tried to keep his head.

“Stop,” he gasped, hips bucking up into J’hon’s mouth almost involuntarily. He tugged sharply at J’hon’s curls. “Please, I can’t - shards, J’hon, stop -!”

J’hon pulled back obediently, though he stole a moment to lavish attention on the head of his cock, licking up the slick of his arousal with a low groan. When Daniel claimed his mouth again he tasted of sex, which was arousing enough to almost make him come right away. He pushed J’hon’s pants down until he could wrap a hand around his erection, stroking him from root to tip and smiling at the choked cry it pulled from his lips. He nipped at J’hon’s earlobe, thumb stroking over through the precome on the head of his cock and slicking it down his shaft. “I want you to feel so good....”

J’hon laughed, breathless and giddy, hips rocking up into his touch. His fingers mirrored Daniel’s touch, thumb teasing the underside of his head, pushing shudders of arousal through him with each stroke. “Already feel amazing,” he gasped, fingers moving a little faster on Daniel’s cock as the words spilled from his mouth. “Wanna make you come so hard, love… feel you come in my fingers and taste you in my mouth…. take you home and make love to you… make you feel so good that you can’t think straight…”

Daniel gave a trembling moan at the thought, bucking up into his touch. Why should he wait for Kheironth to rise? The thought of going to bed with J’hon, being helpless to his pleasure, of feeling J’hon inside him, it was all so intoxicating…. “Yes! Shards, J’hon, want you so bad!”

J’hon gave a helpless moan and moved to catch his mouth again, leaning over top of him and taking both their cocks in hand to stroke them together. He gave a slow thrust of his hips as he did, the underside of his cock rubbing against Daniel’s, let his head fall down to rest on his shoulder. “My beautiful Daniel,” he gasped, stroking a little faster and whimpering as Daniel curled one hand with his to help. “Need you so - feel so good - !”

Words quickly fell victim to passion, to eager, breathless kisses and the most delicious whimpers and groans. All he could think about was J’hon, his heart singing, and when his pleasure finally crested he couldn’t imagine wanting anything but this for the rest of his life.

The stroke of his hand was enough to bring J’hon off a few moments later, his lover whimpering Daniel’s name helplessly into his neck as he flooded his fingers with seed. Daniel held him close, catching his breath and returning the slow, adoring kisses that J’hon placed to his skin as their passion finally began to calm.

Laying still for a moment, Daniel reached out to touch the mind of his dragon. _Are you all right, dear heart? I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to leave for so long._

 _I am warm and not hungry._ Kheironth replied, her mind relaxed and sleepy. _I’m happy you’re happy. Stay as long as you need. I know J’hon will take care of you._

 _It won’t be too long,_ Daniel promised, though it surprised him to hear her speak of J’hon specifically. Then he reached farther, finding the familiar warmth that meant Santh. _Dear Santh, could you please tell Ben that mother sent me to Fort Weyr to witness their Queens flight? I will be here a while longer. Please ask him to tell M‘ran._

 _Of course_ , came the reply, and Daniel relaxed into J’hon’s embrace again.

J’hon had been watching him, the look on his face so adoring that Daniel couldn’t think of anything but wanting to see him like that all the time. “You get this little faraway look in your eyes when you speak to her,” he said, fingers stroking slow circles on the small of his back. “I suppose I do, too.”

Daniel smiled, and leaned up to indulge in a slow kiss. “I won’t be able to see Serrah today, not after that flight. I can safely leave this with Gia for her, I trust her discretion.“

J’hon nodded slowly, his expression a little wistful. “I guess that’s our cue to get out of bed?”

Daniel met his gaze a little more boldly, arching closer and pressing up against him deliberately. “After that flight, I think it will be some time before anyone in the weyr gets out of bed again. We might be stuck here for a while.”

J’hon’s smile widened, and he moved to press Daniel onto his back again, taking the invitation of his upturned mouth with a low, appreciative hum. “I guess we’ll have to just entertain ourselves for a while, then.”

***


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 4: *now with 80% more fluffy times!

Serrah arrived at High Reaches a just after sunset few days later, quietly incognito on the back of a blue dragon. “I was able to identify your potion,” the dark-haired weyrwoman told Daniel as she handed the bottle back to him, her voice low. She glanced to J’hon. “Can we speak here?”

Daniel nodded. “J’hon helped me find it. Kheironth will make sure no one is listening in.”

“All right. One of my healer contacts knew it, I didn’t tell her where I got it from. She says they call it Phoenix Tears. It’s made from a flowering herb and can be used as an alternative to fellis juice if a patient reacts badly to fellis. But that’s rare, and because it sends the patient into such a stupor, very few healers choose to carry it. The effects are even stronger when combined with fellis. A few different healer halls around Igen grow it and make this tincture through a number of traders, so I’m afraid we couldn’t discover its exact source. She did say that this particular tincture had been refined to be stronger, but overall it’s not difficult to make or grow the plant.”

Daniel’s heart sank. “So there’s no way we could track it back to… to whoever bought it?”

Serrah shook her head. “I’m sorry, Daniel.” In her voice softened. “This is what Dalia has been taking?” When Daniel didn’t respond, she reached take one of his hands. “I know you don’t want to hear this, but she may be taking it by choice. It wouldn’t be difficult for her to get if she knew who to talk to. It isn’t harmful to her body, and it isn’t addictive, the effects of each dose only last a few hours. If she stops taking it, it will stop affecting her mind. Talk to her.”

Daniel nodded, squeezing her hand. “I will. Thank you.”

She smiled, squeezing back. “The Queens at Fort happy to help you, Daniel. With anything you need. If Dalia doesn’t…. Well. Just call.”

“Thank you,” Daniel replied again, and walked her back out to the ledge of the weyr where her escort was waiting for her.

“Are you going to tell Ben?” J’hon asked softly, coming up behind him and slipping an arm around his waist.

Daniel considered it for a moment, leaning into him. “After I talk to Mother. Then perhaps we should all dose ourselves, so that we can recognize the effects if someone slips it to us.”

J’hon nodded, pressing a kiss to his forehead. “Good luck.”

Daniel pressed close to him, taking strength from a moment in his embrace, then started up the stairs to his mother’s weyr.

This time he waited until he’d reached the weyr to speak to Tannath. He bowed low, sending as he spoke, trying to will Tannath to understand the seriousness of the situation. “Tannath, I need to speak to mother. I know she’s tired, and I’m so very sorry to disturb the two of you, but this is extremely important. Will you please let me in?”

_She is very tired,_ Tannath agreed. _She does not want to see anyone. She should not be disturbed._

“Tannath, please. Someone has been poisoning mother! You have to let me speak to her!”

He felt Tannath’s alarm immediately, and the gold Dragon’s eyes whirled with red. _Someone is hurting Dalia?_

“I think so. I don’t want to upset her, Tannath, please believe me. But she could be in danger. Please let me in?”

Tannath was silent for a moment, but before he could press her again Dalia herself stepped out of the weyr, meeting his gaze and giving him a soft, sad smile. “Don’t worry Tannath, no one is poisoning me. Come in, Daniel. It seems we need to talk.”

Dalia crossed the room to sit down on a padded bench, waiting for Daniel to join her before she started to speak. “I know you found the tincture. I know you took some. I need you to know that I take it by choice. H’dan may have given it to me, but he doesn’t force it on me.”

Daniel stared at his mother in amazement, mind racing, trying to figure out how to respond. “You’ve been drugging yourself? Why would you do that?”

Dalia let out a long sigh. “So many reasons, dear. When your father died, I couldn’t cope. I loved him madly, almost as much as I love Tannath. And I couldn’t get past the guilt - “

“Guilt? How could anything about father’s death be your fault?”

“There was something wrong with Odinth the day your father died,” she said softly, fidgeting with the fabric of her dress. “It was easy to blame myself for not noticing. I should have noticed. I should have resisted when H’dan first gave me the tincture after C’son’s and Odinth went _between_. But I let him, because it helped me stop feeling. He said he’d take care of the Weyr for me until there was a new Queen to take over, so I let Zankath fly Tannath. I stopped caring about anything, Daniel. I let him come to my bed whenever he wanted, I let him send you and your brother away. Everything that’s happened is my fault.” She gave a choked sob. “I take the drug because it’s the only thing that stops it from hurting.”

Part of Daniel didn’t want to believe what he was hearing. “But… I need you.”

“You don’t need me,” Dalia replied softly, still not looking at him. “I sent you away.”

“And you called us back,” Daniel reminded, reaching out to place a hand over both of hers. “You called us back, and I impressed a Queen. I need you. H’dan - “ he hesitated, wondering how much he should reveal, then pushed on. “H’dan wants to use me just like he’s using you, so he can do whatever he wants with High Reaches. I need you to train me so that I can be a strong Queen rider like you were when father was alive.”

“Can’t let him hurt Daniel,” she murmured, and a shiver ran through her. “He’ll be angry if I stop using the drug. Unless… unless he has no reason to question my loyalty.” Her fingers clenched on Daniel’s, and he could see the emotions that warred behind her eyes.

“You don’t have to….” He started, but Dalia shook her head, giving a soft, sad little laugh.

“Oh, Daniel. I have let H’dan into my bed for so long now that it doesn’t matter anymore,” she said with a sigh, moving unexpectedly to wrap around Daniel’s shoulders and leaning close, pressing her face against his hair. “I will convince him of your loyalty, the same as mine. I’ll let him believe that I’m training you to become exactly the Queen rider he wants you to be. And I will train you, Daniel. I’m sorry that I’ve neglected you. I am so proud of the men that you and your brother have become. I wish I could take credit for any part of that.”

Daniel shook his head, turning into her more and bringing his arms up to return her embrace. “All the strength I have came from you. I know we can do this.”

Dalia nodded slightly, silent for a moment as she thought. “Daniel… the one thing that I’ve never lowered myself to giving him was a child. I let him believe that I was too old. Do you think you can make him believe that he’s taken your father’s place in your heart?”

The thought of it made Daniel’s skin crawl. But if his mother could say strong… “I’ll do my best.”

Days later, when H’dan found him and Dalia in the records room, Daniel forced himself to hide away his fear and give the weyr leader smile filled with warmth he didn’t feel. He tugged H’dan into the hallway, grasping his hand and meeting his gaze with as much conviction as he could manage. He knew it wasn’t likely that H’dan would trust him right away, but he’d repeat himself for as long as he’d need to. “I just wanted to thank you, weyr leader. Being able to reconnect with mother means the world to me. She says that you were the one who saved her when C’son abandoned her. I owe you everything.”

He watched H’dan search his expression, and though he could see a hint of distrust as he’d expected, the weyr leader nodded. “I appreciate that, Daniel. I’m sure that with your mother’s help you’ll become a fine Queen rider.”

***

Dalia’s reappearance was slow, but encouraging. Daniel wasn’t completely certain that she’d given up entirely on the drug, but she always seemed clear headed when she met him. She began taking her evening meal with the rest of the weyr again, bringing Daniel to sit at the head table beside her, with H’dan and the wing leaders. Being placed so prominently made Daniel feel self-conscious, but he knew it was important to their plan.

At Dalia’s request, he began to train with the werylings when Kheironth became big enough for him to ride her. Despite not quite knowing how to integrate Kheironth with the wing, M'ran had trained him the same as the other dragons from his hatching, letting Kheironth bring up the rear of the wing he lead when they practiced drills and formations. “Kheironth will help the others learn,” he’d told him quietly when they were alone. “That’s why wing seconds always fly rear. Strong dragons will control others, and Queens are the strongest. Her view of the wing will help the other riders keep a safe distance and avoid collisions and thread.

For six months they did nothing but drill, practicing going _between_ with a constant awareness of the dragons around them. But unlike the others, Kheironth would never breathe fire or eat the firestone that would make her infertile, and managing a flame thrower took Daniel’s full attention. When the time came to fly their first Fall, it was hard not to feel afraid.

_I'll keep us safe,_ Kheironth told him as he checked his fighting straps and the extra agenothree canister for what felt like the tenth time. Her voice was confident, and it calmed him. _You burn thread. We will fight well together._

Then, just as the weyrling wing was about to take to the sky, Tannath swooped down to land beside him. Seated high on her neck was Dalia, dressed in new fighting leathers with a flamethrower on her shoulder. She gave him a warm smile as she slid off Tannath’s back, setting down the flame thrower before taking Daniel’s elbow, completely sharp and alert. “Come, we must talk to M’ran.”

Seeing his mother dressed to fight sent a thrill of warmth through him, and he followed obediently to where M’ran was coming to meet them.

“I’d like to fly alongside Daniel today,” she told him. “Once he’s used to using the flamethrower, I’ll fly as Second on the other half of the wing. When he’s ready, we’ll leave the weyrlings and re-form the Queen’s wing.”

“I would be honored to have you fly with us, Weyrwoman,” M’ran said. He clasped Dalia’s hand in both of his, and Daniel could see a sudden brightness in the old dragonrider’s eyes. “It’s good to have you back.”

***

The days when thread fell in the morning were the ones that Daniel loved the best; he loved watching the darkness of predawn change to vivid pinks, purples, and reds as he checked Kheironth's gear and readied the two of them to fight. He loved the chill of the air as they flew, which slowly warmed until the sun was high in the sky and Threadfall was over.

But what he loved most was the afternoon, after Kheironth had bathed and would stretch out in the sun in front of their weyr to sleep. When every dragonrider in the weyr had no obligations beyond taking care of the dragons and resting after threadfall.

After a Fall was the only time he would ever unbar the inner door to his weyr, so J’hon could slip in quietly, hair still wet from the bath. So they could turn the elation and adrenaline of fighting Thread into intense, passionate lovemaking, then laze around in bed for the rest of the afternoon.

And in the warmth of early summer, they didn’t even need covers while they did it.

Daniel laid his head on J’hon’s chest and ran his fingertips down his stomach, tracing around his belly button and smiling as J’hon flinched and laughed. “That tickles.”

“Mmhmm.” He turned his face up to nuzzle J’hon’s neck, stretching out against him and wrapping one leg over his thighs. “I like you naked.”

“I’m glad you do,” J’hon replied, voice warm and bemused. He pressed a kiss to his hair, tightening an arm around him. “I like you naked, too.”

Daniel closed his eyes for a moment, reveling in the closeness and the slow caress of J’hon’s fingers on his back. “J’hon?”

“Mmm?”

“When did you know you liked boys?”

J’hon gave a soft hum, thinking. “I suppose it must have been when you turned my head.”

“Liar.” Daniel laughed softly, pressing a kiss to his throat. “I was not your first.”

“Well, no,” J’hon admitted. “But I didn’t want to seem like a complete deadglow once I finally worked up the nerve to pursue you.” He returned Daniel’s expectant gaze with a raised eyebrow as his lover lifted his head. “What?”

“So?”

J’hon ignored the question for the much nicer prospect of stealing a kiss from the curved bow of Daniel’s lips. “Mmhmm….”

Daniel chuckled against his mouth, returning the kiss warmly, then nipping at his bottom lip. “Don’t distract me. I wanna know who.”

J’hon grinned sheepishly, glancing away. “I don’t think you do.”

“Of course I do. I’m just curious, love, not jealous. I don’t mind.” Daniel wiggled against him. “Share.”

J’hon regarded him for a long moment, stroking his fingers up into his hair and watching the silken strands of gold fall through them. “Your brother might mind.”

His lover’s blue eyes widened “You slept with _Larry_?”

“I didn’t intend to, it just kind of happened!” J’hon protested, ignoring Daniel’s disbelieving laugh. “No, really! And it was before him and Ben figured themselves out.”

“Of course,” Daniel agreed. “How do you accidentally sleep with someone?”

“I didn’t say it was an accident!” J’hon laughed, pulling him in for another kiss. “I just asked him what it was like, you know. I was curious. Fionnth had already flown once and I knew several riders who were willing to come at a crook of his little finger, your brother included, even if he wouldn’t admit it. So I figured he could tell me. Give me some advice.”

Daniel wiggled closer, nuzzling his ear and giggling. “Mmhmm?”

Since Daniel didn’t seem to be having a problem with what he was saying, J’hon continued, pressing Daniel onto his back and leaning over him with a smile. “Well….” he leaned in to press a kiss to his jaw, nuzzling his skin as he spoke. “Well, he looked at me with those blue eyes and that teasing, lop-sided smile of his….”

Daniel arched up against him, stroking his hands down J’hon’s back and over his well-muscled ass. “And then….”

“And then he quirked one eyebrow…” he ghosted his mouth over Daniel’s, dipping in for a yearning kiss. “And he told me that if I really wanted to know I should come back to his weyr so he could show me.”

“Show you?” Daniel purred. He ran his fingers up his lover’s spine, dragging his nails over his skin just for the way he knew it would make J’hon shiver. “Like that thing you do with your tongue?”

“Exactly.” J’hon chuckled, and claimed his mouth again, longer, yearning, echoing his lover’s moan. “Let me show you that again....”

***

 

“Are you sure you’re okay to fight thread today?” Daniel asked Kheironth as he completed his regular, fastidious pre-flight routine of checks. Her hide had started to darken over the past few days - a sign, he’d learned, that his dragon would soon go into heat.

He felt amusement from her. _Of course I can fight. I have no desire to mate yet. Why are you so nervous about it? It will be fine. Amanth and I will fly._

Kheironth sounded completely sure of herself, which made Daniel hopeful that things would go as she said. J’hon was a tender and attentive lover, whose devotion had only become stronger in the many months they’d been together, and only a desire to keep H’dan from realizing how strongly Daniel felt about the young bronze rider had prevented him from asking J’hon to openly be his weyrmate. Still, he tried not to be too optimistic. “Queen flights don’t always go as expected,” Daniel cautioned, but Kheironth just snorted.

_I wanted you. Now you are mine. I want Amanth. I get what I want._

“You do, don’t you.” Daniel smiled, climbing into place on her neck and fastening the fighting straps before they followed Tannath into the sky.

Dalia and Tannath had flown with them every Fall since Kheironth had started fighting. At first Daniel thought he’d be a jealous of the fighting wings; watching Amanth and Santh and little Fionnth swoop and soar through the sky with K'ton's wing high above. It looked so heroic, searing tangles of thread from the air with bursts of flame and blinking in and out of _between_ to dodge the dangerous organism. But once he and Dalia broke off to fly as Queens he began to understand the value of their place in a fall. As the strongest dragons, the Queens were always aware of the location of every dragon in a fall, and could jump _between_ to chase down tangles of Thread that escaped the wings above without danger of collision. As the largest dragons, they could cover ground faster than even the tiny greens. 

As the wings flew out to meet the leading edge of Threadfall that day, something felt off to him. He couldn’t push away the niggling thought that something wasn’t right. “Are you sure you’re okay to fight?” He asked Kheironth again, tugging against the fighting straps to verify again that they were secure.

_I’m fine. Now we fight._

Kheironth swooped in as the battle began, and for a short time Daniel thought of nothing but fighting, soaring through the air looking for escaped tangles of thread, then going _between_ with Kheironth and searing them out of the air with his flamethrower.

Suddenly he felt a wrenching cramp in his gut, a surge of pain and panic from a source that his mind registered as Amanth. Daniel looked up to find K’ton’s wing and saw the bronze Dragon seize and thrash in midair, losing control of his flight just as a huge tangle of Thread fell towards them. He saw Fionnth dart into the air above the larger bronze to let out a mighty burst of flame, but it was too close. Half-charred pieces of Thread fell into Amanth’s mainsail, and with a scream of pain the dragon went _between_.

“No!” He screamed, reaching with his mind for Amanth and finding nothing. No response, no pain, nothing but blackness. Moments passed; they’d been _between_ for too long. In panic, he yelled again, screaming with his mind as loud as he could. “No! Come back! _BRING HIM BACK!_ ”

Amanth burst from _between_ ahead of them, thrashing frantically as he tried to keep himself aloft with one wing in tatters. Daniel gave a sob of relief, urging Kheironth forward as Tannath’s command sounded in their minds. _Get under his right side, we’ll support him together. Control him. We’ll take them home safe._

Trying to catch his breath, Daniel did as she’d asked, trying not to think about the glimpse he’d caught of J’hon collapsed against Amanth’s neck, riding leathers slick with blood. He tried not to think about the tattered remains of Amanth’s wing, green with ichor. With both Queen’s minds locked on the agonized bronze, they went _between_ back to the weyr, gliding down with him into the bowl to where the healers were set up, ready to address any injuries from the fall.

Daniel was off Kheironth immediately, rushing to Amanth’s side. He could hear Dalia shouting orders already. “Where’s Kafima? We need numbweed, thread, reeds, and the largest roll of gauze on hand. Kafima!”

“I’m here, Dalia,” Daniel heard their master dragon healer reply, and seeing J’hon stir on Amanth’s neck, he felt a rush of relief.

J’hon managed to undo his fighting straps and slid down off Amanth’s back, skin pale and leathers covered in blood from where Thread had eaten through and scored his shoulder and thigh before Amanth had gone _between_. He was trembling madly, gasping for breath. “Amanth!”

Daniel caught his arm and tried to pull him away from his thrashing dragon. “J’hon, we’ve got you. We’ll see to Amanth. You have to see the healers – “ 

“Amanth,” he cried again, barely registering Daniel’s words. “It hurts so much!”

“Tell Kheironth to hold help Tannath hold Amanth still!” Dalia ordered. “She needs to control him so we can see to his wing! Daniel, help me!”

_I’m trying,_ Kheironth told him, moving to face Amanth and trying to catch his gaze of her own. 

Daniel let two of the healers take J’hon, and ran between the dragons. The mainsail of Amanth's left wing was in tatters, dripping green ichor from the wing joints, and Daniel tried not to think about whether or not he'd ever fly again. He oiled his hands, then grabbed the pot of numbweed that Dalia thrust at him and started to slather it carefully on his thread-scored hide, willing it to take effect faster. "This will stop the pain, Amanth. Just hold still a little longer. We'll fix your wing, I promise." 

_My stomach burns!_ Amanth cried out in anguish, his body jerking and seizing. 

"Hold him!" Daniel yelled to Kheironth again, but before his Queen could strengthen her control the bronze's body heaved, and he vomited what looked like the contents of both stomachs all over the grass. The normal gray sludge of firestone ash was mixed with half-digested chunks of meat from the morning’s snack and reeked of nothing Daniel had ever smelled before. 

Immediately Amanth relaxed, the whirling red in his eyes fading to blue as the numbweed took effect. _I feel much better now,_ he said meekly, submitting to Kheironth’s control. 

Everything was a blur after that, of letting Dalia and Kafima command him as they worked on Amanth’s wing. Daniel cleaned and dressed the thread scores on his hide, not looking up until J’hon appeared at Amanth’s head with his own wounds dressed.

“I’m so sorry,” he murmured, embracing Amanth’s muzzle and stroking his hide. “Stay with me. I need you, my brave Amanth. Stay with me.”

_They called us back,_ Amanth spoke, allowing Daniel to hear. _I won’t leave you now._

“Thank you,” he murmured towards the bronze dragon, trying not to shiver as he remembered how very close they’d come to not coming back at all. “Thank you, my dear, brave Amanth.” Then, carefully pressing the last dressing into place, he went into the weyr for a clean jar and carefully scooped up a large sample of what Amanth had vomited, deadly certain that someone had tried to poison his lover’s Dragon. 

__***_ _


	5. Chapter 5

Kafima and Dalia had just finished mending Amanth’s wing when Larry appeared, crossing the bowl at a lope to where J’hon still stood at Amanth’s head, stroking his muzzle and murmuring encouragements that Kheironth echoed with soft trills. He looked over as Larry approached, giving him a weary smile. “You and Fionnth were amazing, you saved us. I can’t figure out what happened – Amanth was flaming fine. We were about to sear that tangle - ”

“Thank Faranth’s egg you’re alright.” Larry looked almost as pale as J’hon. “I came as soon as Fionnth and I finished our rotation. I thought the two of you were goners until Daniel screamed like that – “

Daniel looked over to him sharply. “You heard me?”

Larry gave a short laugh. “I think everyone in the sky heard you, Queen rider. Dragon and rider alike.” He turned to J’hon. “They’re moving you two to the hospital weyr, yeah?” He eyed J’hon’s leathers – what hadn’t been scored on his left side had been cut away by the healers. “Want me to bring you some new clothes?”

J’hon nodded gratefully. “I have some thin hides in a chest by my bed, can you bring those as well? And something to write with. I need… I need to write….”

“You need to rest,” Daniel corrected, meeting them. “Bring them to my weyr, please, L’rence. It’s near ground level. I… I want to keep Amanth close.”

Larry nodded seriously before heading off to the side of the bowl where Fionnth was waiting. Daniel went to see their master healer, eyeing the mass of gauze and reeds that had been stitched together to support the remains of Amanth’s mainsail. “Kafima? I’d like Amanth to recover in my weyr, if that’s all right with you.”

Kafima regarded him for a moment, then nodded. He’d known the master healer for most of his life as well, and her no-nonsense attitude in a crisis had helped save more than one dragon. Now that Amanth was patched up she softened. “Of course, I’ll be glad to keep space free. Fala – get Thenold and bring a supporting table and two of those bolsters to the Queen rider’s weyr. The biggest ones you have. Soon as you can.” Then started towards where J’hon stood at his dragon’s head. “The injury’s far less severe than it could have been, dragonrider. I’ve had far worse make a full recovery. We were able to save the majority of his wingsail, and a young dragon heals fast. He should make a full recovery, but the two of you will be grounded for at least the next six months.”

J’hon barely reacted to the news, managing a small nod. “Thank you for your work, master healer.”

“You can thank me by getting some rest,” Kafima replied. “Keep fellis and numbweed on hand and use it on yourself as well as your dragon. Amanth has been through a lot. If you are exhausted and in pain it will only cause him undue duress.” She glanced to Daniel. “Can you and Dalia get him back to your weyr? I have other patients.”

“Of course,” Daniel replied. “Thank you, Kafima.”

He gathered up Amanth’s gear and the half-emtpy bag of firestone, getting J’hon up onto Kheironth’s neck with little convincing. His gold walked beside Amanth as they made their way across the bowl to his weyr, her wing extended under his injured one to help support it. Thread had fallen late in the day, and their shadows stretched across the bowl in front of them. Tannath stayed behind to help soothe an injured blue, but Dalia went with them, quietly leading Amanth and looking as exhausted as Daniel felt.

When Amanth was finally settled in the stone hollow in the front room of his weyr, Dalia's strength seemed to disappear. She sunk down onto one of the padded benches carved into the wall with a soft, shivering sigh. Daniel took a moment to pull the cushion off one of the other long benches, setting it into the hollow near Amanth and tugging J’hon over to it. "Rest, love" he said softly, leaning in to press a soft kiss to his unhurt cheek. "Stay here with Amanth. He's going to be okay. I'll bring furs for you."

J’hon nodded, drawing a shivering breath, and he looked close to tears. "Daniel, I'm so sorry, oh shards -"

"Hush, love. Shhh… you're just shocky. Everything’s going to be okay. You have nothing to apologize for."

"I do!" J’hon's hands caught his hips desperately, clenching tight through his leathers as he pulled him close and buried his face in Daniel’s hair. "Amanth can't fly, Daniel. Amanth _won't be able to fly._ "

The realization hit Daniel in an icy shock, and he fought to stay calm. "Don't think about that now," he said, surprised to hear his voice come out so calmly. "It's okay.

"How can it be okay? I promised - "

"Because you're still alive." Daniel's voice broke on the last word, vision blurred with tears that he tried to blink away. He stroked his fingers up into J’hon's hair and pressed a trembling kiss to his mouth. "You're here, and I'm so very grateful for that, love. Rest now. Amanth needs you to be strong."

J’hon nodded mutely, and sank down onto the cushions. When Daniel returned with sheets and sleeping furs, he was already asleep.

As he tucked the blankets around J’hon, one of the kitchen staff arrived carrying a tray laden with food and two wineskins. She set them on the table near Dalia, who thanked her before pouring two full cups of wine with a trembling hand. Daniel sank down beside her, taking one gratefully. “Thank you,” he said softly, shivering as well as the horror of everything that had happened caught up with him. “For everything, mother. If Amanth had died, or if they hadn’t come back I don’t know what I would have…” He stopped, suddenly realizing what he was saying, and seeing all to plain the shadows in her eyes of old pain. He placed a hand gently on her knee. “I’m sorry.”

Dalia gave the slightest nod, and finished the wine in her cup. She refilled it immediately, then leaned back and took another swallow. “The only thing that could have made what happened to your father worse would have been having to watch it happen to you,” she said softly. “I wouldn’t wish that pain on you for the world, Daniel.” She gave a soft laugh under her breath, drinking again. “I suppose Kheironth has given us both a new beginning.”

 _K'ton wishes an audience with you and Dalia,_ said a voice in Daniel's mind, which he recognized as K'ton's bronze Tolth. _Somewhere private. As soon as possible, please. We are on our way home now._

 _K'ton is welcome to join us,_ he thought back. _We’re in my weyr with Amanth._ He looked up and Dalia, taking the wine skin and refilling her glass again. “K’ton is coming to talk to both of us. Do you feel up to it?”

Dalia nodded. “Of course. I’ve done enough running from pain.”

A short time later K'ton arrived, with Ben steps behind him, both still smelling of firestone and char. Larry brought up the rear, a satchel of J’hon’s things over his shoulder. K’ton gave Kheironth a respectful bow as he climbed the steps of the weyr, obviously wary of her protective and agitated state. He glanced to where J’hon and Amanth lay sleeping, and some of the tension left his shoulders. “Will they be all right?”

“In time they should both recover fully,” Dalia replied, as Daniel stood to find three more cups. “Amanth is young, he’ll heal. But the shock of the initial injury - we almost lost them. If Daniel hadn’t – “ her voice broke on the word, and she stopped, picking up her wine glass and draining it again.

K’ton took a cup from Daniel gratefully, and filled all the glasses. “It wasn’t a normal thread injury,” he started, words soft and slow. “They were fighting fine, Amanth was in good position to sear that tangle. I can’t explain it.”

“Amanth vomited when we got him back,” Daniel told him. “He was in agony until he did, even Kheironth and Tannath combined couldn’t hold him still.”

“Did you keep a sample?” K’ton asked urgently, and when Daniel nodded, gave a sigh of relief. Then he glanced from the four of them, to the sleeping J’hon, to the mouth of the weyr. “Is it safe to speak openly here?”

Daniel nodded. “Kheironth won’t let anyone get within earshot. We can all be trusted, J’hon included.”

K’ton nodded, expression still grave. “What happened today - I’ve never seen a Dragon take ill like that before except for one time. And that’s when I saw C’son die.”

A soft whimper escaped Dalia’s throat. “You saw him die?”

Ben looked to him sharply. “You didn’t tell me that.”

“I was your father’s wing second, I flew at the rear of the wing the day he died, like we always did. Odinth got sick during thread fall. He cramped just like Amanth did and couldn’t flame, they flew right into a tangle of thread. They never came back from _between_. I knew something wasn’t right, but how could I prove it? There was _nothing left of them_.

Dalia had pressed the fingertips of both hands to her mouth, her eyes wide and bright, and Daniel quietly poured her another glass wine as he spoke. “I’ll send part of the sample my healer contacts at Fort this afternoon. If someone did poison him, hopefully we can find out what and how.” He glanced to Larry. “Whoever did this will be watching Kheironth and I very closely. If I give you a letter, can you take it to Fort?”

Larry nodded. “You think this was aimed to you?”

Daniel took a sip of his wine, trying to speak more calmly than he felt. “What else could it be? Kheironth will rise soon, perhaps in a matter of days. J’hon and I weren’t obvious, but we weren’t exactly a secret. I didn’t think it would matter who flew Kheironth, because weyr leadership isn’t in question. Shards, I’ve been so foolish?”

“You couldn’t have known - “ Ben started, but it was Dalia who cut him off.

“He’s not rational,” she said, voice low and trembling. “If he’s convinced himself that Daniel will help keep him in power, then he’ll do everything he can to get him. K’ton, he – he killed C’son. Just like this, days before Tannath rose. He killed my C’son?” Her voice rose, approaching hysteria, and Daniel reached to take her hand in both of his, feeling her pain almost as acutely as his own.

What could he say to comfort her? He couldn’t deny the horrible probability of her words. “Would you… can I mix you something to help you sleep?”

“No! No. I’ve slept enough.” He saw a sudden anger flash in his mother’s eyes. “Daniel, you cannot let him fly Kheironth, you hear me?”

“Easier said than done, from my experience,” Larry said with a frown. “Unless Daniel and Kheironth have a strong emotional bond with a contender, well… chance is chance.”

Daniel drained the rest of his wine, but the fuzzy warmth that was beginning to soothe his joints didn’t make him feel any better. “Amanth can’t fly. He won’t be able to fly for six months, let alone days. I don’t know what to do.“

 _I’m sorry,_ Kheironth murmured sadly, her blue eyes whirling gold with distress.

“It’s not your fault, dear heart. I was stupid to think I was safe, I was stupid to think he wouldn’t go after J’hon. I was stupid not to give myself any other options – “

Dalia shook her head. “No, let’s think through this. There’s two dozen bronzes in High Reaches. There has to be someone Kheironth would take to! K’ton, who of the wing leaders can we trust?”

“Tolth will fly,” K’ton said, “as will M’cho’s and L’teiar’s bronzes, but Zankath is 10 years younger than the youngest of them. It’s unlikely that any of them of them could outfly him in a mating flight. I can’t say with certainty whether or not any of the other wing leaders are allied with H’dan, so it would be unwise to try for them.”

“We know he has at least one ally,” Daniel said, remembering the other voice he’d heard in the records room that day and shivering.

“A younger Dragon is our best bet,” Dalia said, more engaged now, reaching to take a sweet roll from the tray on the table and breaking it into pieces. “If you give Kheironth her head and let her fly as fast and as far as she wants, then maybe they can both just outfly Zankath.”

“Do you think she would take to any of the bronzes in your hatching? Or ours?” Ben asked gently.

“She thinks Gath is too full of himself,” Daniel said, of the only other bronze from Ben’s hatching. “And I get the impression that she thinks the current werylings are all too young.”

 _They are,_ Kheironth agreed.

K’ton cleared his throat. “I know you probably don’t want to hear this, but…”

Ben was suddenly alert. “Then don’t say it.”

K’ton raised his eyebrows. “B’min, you’re his brother.”

“Exactly! And when Kheironth rises, Santh and I are going to Ista like we did when Tannath flew.” Ben stood from his chair, taking a step back nervously. “I’m not letting him fly my brother’s dragon!”

Daniel looked from his brother to K’ton. “You really think Santh is our best bet?”

“He’s young, and B’min loves you. What happens during a mating flight has nothing to do with the riders’ choice or preference of partner, you know that.”

“It’s true,” Daniel murmured, though it did nothing to stop his stomach tying itself in knots at the thought of what K’ton was suggesting. He stared down at his hands in his lap. Could he really agree to that?

 _I do like Santh,_ Kheironth told him, her voice very small. _I’d feel safe with Santh. He’s not Amanth, but if you ask me to, I will do my best to choose him._

“Kheironth isn’t adverse to the idea,” he said softly, and Ben took another step back.

“What?!”

Larry stood as well, moving to take his lover’s arm. “You don’t have to worry about me, love.”

“And I appreciate that, Lar, but I’m not sleeping with my brother!”

K’ton stood at that, facing down the younger rider. “You swore to me once that you’d do whatever it took to topple H’dan. You have all the more reason for it now. This is what needs to be done, B’min. Are you really going to go back on your word?”

Ben looked helplessly to Daniel, then back to K’ton. “I just - I don’t know if I can.”

“You all argue too farding loudly,” J’hon grumbled suddenly, and the pile of blankets near Amanth erupted as he climbed to his feet. “And you’re making way too big a deal about this. Daniel, come with me.” He jerked his head towards Ben. “You too, blondie. Let’s get this sorted so that I can get my healer mandated sleep.” He started towards the back of the weyr, but instead of going into his office like Daniel expected, J’hon disappeared into the sleeping room. Daniel stood, glancing to Ben with a slight shrug, then followed.

J’hon was waiting with his arms folded across his chest, and he gave Ben a hard look as they entered. “Are you going to take care of your brother, or aren’t you?”

Ben hesitated. “Look, it’s not like that – “

“It’s exactly like that. Now, are you going to take care of Daniel, or aren’t you?”

Ben’s shoulders sagged, defeated. “If… if that’s what Daniel wants.” He looked up at J’hon. “You seriously don’t have a problem with this?”

“Why should I?” He replied, irritably. “It’s a mating flight. It doesn’t change that Daniel’s mine. Look, I’m a penning a message to the Masterharper as soon as I have enough energy to write legibly. If I can engage him before Kheironth flies, then he may be able to invoke the authority to hold H’dan on suspicion of harming my Dragon, at least until after the flight. Then it doesn’t matter, right? But I won’t let anyone who gleefully talks about sodomizing my lover get anywhere _near_ him, and neither should you. So get over yourself already.” His expression softened as he looked to Daniel, and he leaned in to press a kiss to his forehead. “Convince him, okay love? You and I can talk more after I’ve slept.” With that, he left to go back to Amanth.

Daniel bit his bottom lip, looking up at Ben. “You really don’t want this, do you?” 

Ben sighed, then reached out to pull his brother close, pressing his face against his hair. “It’s not that, youngling. You know I’d do anything for you. I just don’t want to hurt you.”

Daniel leaned in to the embrace gratefully. “You won’t. I know you won’t. Ben, I - I’d feel a lot less frightened if I knew that even Santh were going to fly for her. Kheironth says she feels safe with Santh.”

“All right. If there is no other option, I’ll… we’ll protect you. But, Daniel….” Ben drew a shuddering breath, his voice low and thick with emotion. “If Santh flies Kheironth… You have to promise me you’ll stay with her. Focus on Santh, not me. Promise me.”

“I’ll do my best,” Daniel promised, pressing a soft kiss to his brother’s cheek before pulling away. “Thank you.”

When they reentered the main weyr, J’hon was already back in his furs, apparently asleep again. Dalia had been helping Larry separate part of the sample into another jar, wrapping it carefully for travel. She looked up to them hopefully.

“Santh will fly,” Ben said stiffly, though he relaxed a little when Dalia met him with a tight hug. He looked to K’ton and Larry. “Until we find out what made Amanth sick, I’ll make sure to only take Santh outside the weyr to hunt. We can bring back food for Amanth and Kheironth.”

K’ton raised an eyebrow. “You think someone could have poisoned some of the herdbeasts?”

“It would make it difficult to target any one particular dragon, but I don’t think we can rule out anything at this point.

“I can ask my mother to have someone discreetly check out the livestock,” Larry told them. “And I’ll fly the sample to Fort now, if you can give me that referral, Daniel. I’ve also asked a number of the green riders - ones we can trust to help, don’t worry - to be on hand for when Kheironth does rise. We’re the least likely to lose our heads over Queen’s flight, we’ll help make sure that there’s no issues with disappointed bronze riders.”

Daniel stared at him in alarm. “Do you think there might be?”

Larry shrugged. “Best to have all our bases covered, right? Besides, they’ll be grateful to be shuttled into more available beds than yours.” He took Daniel’s letter, and instructions, then disappeared out of the weyr.

K’ton and Ben took their leave shortly after and Dalia stood as well, pulling Daniel close. “Make sure Kheironth keeps watch. She’s a queen, every other dragon has to obey her. Only a senior queen can break her will. Remember that, all right?”

Daniel returned the embrace securely. “Of course I will. She’ll keep us safe.”

“Good.” Dalia sighed softly, then pulled back to look at him. “You were very strong today, Daniel. Every member of the weyr heard you, so they all know that now. You’ll make a wonderful Senior Queen rider.”

Daniel shook his head. “Tannath will fly again. And if she doesn’t, the weyr leadership will be open and won before Kheironth goes back into heat again. But it’s okay. Just as long as I can make sure that everyone I love is kept safe.”

She searched his gaze for a moment, and her smile seemed strangely sad. “Of course. Good night, Daniel.”

Eventually Daniel settled down for the night, pulling more cushions and blankets out beside J’hon and laying down with him, Kheironth still guarding the mouth of the weyr like a giant watch-dog. J’hon curled around him sleepily, still wearing the tattered remains of his riding pants, and the reassuring warmth of his body lulled Daniel to sleep.

When he slept, he dreamed of his mother.

The weyr around them was bright and sunny, and made him think of how things were before his father died. Dalia stood in front of him, holding both his hands and her so she spoke. “I need to thank you, Daniel. When your father died part of me wanted to die with him. It took a long time for me to realize I needed to do more with my life. You were the one that helped me to do that. I’ll always be grateful for that.”

It felt good, to hear her say it. Daniel smiled, and let her continue.

“You’ve made me more proud than I can ever say, my son. I know that your father would be so proud of you, too. You and Ben. Promise me that you’ll help him take care of our Weyr. Promise me nothing will change you. Stay true to yourself with Kheironth flies. Don’t let that man get to you like he did to me.”

“I swear it,” Daniel replied, and he watched his mother smile, wistful and sweet.

She reached out to take his face in both hands, bending close to press a kiss to his forehead. “I’m sorry to do this to you. But it needs to happen, and this is the only way I can be sure.”

“Do what? Mother, I don’t understand….”

“I’m so sorry,” she murmured. “Don’t grieve for me. I’ve wanted this since your father died. I love you, Daniel.”

The dream faded into deeper sleep, but left him with a strange sense of peace and well-being. He’d take care of the Weyr, he and Ben. Nothing would ever change that.

Then he awoke in the early hours of the morning to a shattering rush of sorrow and the noise of hundreds of dragons keening for the loss of one of their own, with Kheironth’s sadness the strongest.

He knew what had happened without her having to tell him.

Dalia and Tannath had gone _between_ forever.

***


	6. Chapter 6

J’hon awoke to Amanth’s sorrowful death knoll, and to Daniel sobbing in his arms. For one brief, horrible moment he thought something had happened to Kheironth. The reality was almost as bad.

“Why would she do this? How could she leave me to fend for myself? And Weyrwoman? Shards, J’hon! I can’t do this!”

J’hon murmured soft, wordless reassurances, holding Daniel close and stroking his hair. His arm and his leg ached under the bandages where he’d been thread-scored the day before; the wounds had been shallow thanks to Amanth’s quick response, but they’d scar badly. Still, he was far more alert than he had been the day before. And while he could feel the dull throb of Amanth’s wing, there was none of yesterday’s panic.

Now there was just sorrow.

“Dalia loved you very much,” he murmured, when Daniel had calmed, and as much as he’d questioned the Weyrwoman’s sanity, he knew that much was true. “She wouldn’t have –“ He hesitated on the word, and replaced it, “gone – if she didn’t have every faith in your abilities.”

“I don’t think her heart could take it anymore,” he whimpered, burying his face in J’hon’s chest. “If it had been you, if you’d died yesterday – “

“I’m here. Don’t think about it, okay? I won’t leave you.” He pressed a kiss to Daniel’s hair and closed his eyes. All he remembered from their accident was pain. Overwhelming pain from Amanth, his own pain, and darkness. And then Daniel, calling him back. “I won’t leave you,” he promised again, and knew it was the truth.

They’d had half a day to grieve before the rest of the weyr put two and two together, and Kheironth had become High Reaches most eligible bachelorette. J’hon grit his teeth as he helped Kafima change the dressings on Amanth’s wounds, replacing them with new ones soaked in numbweed, and tried to ignore yet another bronze rider who’d come to Daniel’s weyr to “offer his condolences” about Dalia. At least Daniel had issued an edict that anyone coming to visit had to bring two full buckets of water for Amanth – an idea that he’d gotten from the records, he’d told J’hon – and now the huge trough he’d had brought up from the beastholds was full of water, with several more buckets full and waiting nearby.

The visits were tasteless, completely tasteless, and J’hon couldn’t understand how Daniel could continue to conduct himself so calmly. If it had been up to him he would have barricaded both him and Daniel inside and told the rest of High Reaches to go fuck itself. Besides, as far as he was concerned, a lot of the bronze riders would greatly benefit from taking the sticks out of their asses and giving themselves a good fucking on a regular basis.

He watched the man Daniel was speaking with – Sh’oll, one of M’ran’s wing seconds – finally leave the weyr, only to be replaced with two others. They were younger bronze riders- from the hatching before his, if J’hon recalled correctly – and neither seemed too happy to find the other at the weyr.

“Enough!” Daniel’s exasperated cry echoed through the weyr, and to J’hon’s surprise (and, if he was honest, joy) his normally mild-mannered lover stormed up to the bickering men, placed a hand on each of their chests, and shoved them back towards the mouth of the weyr. “Get out! I don’t care about your condolences! Get out and leave me alone before I make my Queen remove you!”

He marched them both out despite their hasty retreat, his dragon glaring after them with equal fervor. “No other riders get in unless they’re family,” he ordered her sharply, and turned back into the weyr. Kheironth huffed behind him and stretched out across the mouth of the weyr, effectively cutting them off from the outside.

Kafima finished with the dressings on his wing and gave Daniel a smile that seemed more nervous than normal. “He’s healing well. The supply of ichor to his joints is strong. I’ll come back and check tomorrow?”

“Thank you,” Daniel replied, and Kheironth lifted her head long enough to allow the weyr healer to leave.

J’hon pressed the last dressing into place on Amanth’s hide, then moved to meet Daniel, pulling him close while being careful not to get numbweed on him. “You lasted five riders longer than I would have.”

Daniel sagged against him, giving a soft laugh under his breath. “I’m sorry. Kheironth’s testy. I’m testy. She’ll fly soon.”

J’hon nodded mutely, pressing a kiss to his hair. “Have you decided how you’re going to handle that?”

His lover let out a long, weary sounding sigh, silent for a moment before answering. “We continue with the plan. Mother asked me to help Ben take care of High Reaches. Kheironth is in agreement. So for now that’s what I’ll do… and just hope to god that Santh can catch her.”

“You think your brother would make the best Weyrleader?” he asked carefully, and received a soft, helpless laugh in return.

“I don’t know, J’hon. No, I’m sure he won’t. But I know that Ben will be as fair as he can, that he’ll accept assistance and advice from the wing leaders. And most importantly, I know he’s not allied to H’dan. Kheironth is young, she’ll rise again in another year. By then I’ll have enough influence as – as the Senior Queen - find the best Weyrleader for High Reaches.” He drew back to look up at him. “Is that wrong of me to think that way?”

His reasoning was sound, J’hon realized. More importantly, Daniel believed it; so would Kheironth.

“How are you all holding up?” Larry had just slipped into the weyr, dressed in his riding leathers.

J’hon looked sharply to where Kheironth lounged placidly at the mouth of the weyr. “She let you in?”

 _L’rence is family,_ Amanth told him, bemused, and Kheironth hummed in agreement.

“I don’t mind,” Daniel replied, meeting his brother’s weyrmate with a hug. “How’s Ben?”

Larry chuckled, keeping an arm around his shoulders. “Ben is that particular brand of fiercely focused that means he’s secretly freaking out. But he’ll be fine. Him and Santh are already out flying. Testing the currents around the weyr.”

“Santh won’t wear himself out, will he?” Daniel asked anxiously, and Larry shook his head.

“Santh’s stoked, way more than Ben is, I think. Ben says H’dan held council with the wing leaders early this morning, but it was fast - K’ton barely got there in time. Kheironth is the next queen to rise in all of Pern – and a couple of the wing leaders made sure to verify that there wasn’t anyone else. The consensus was that if Dalia… if Dalia felt so strongly about your appointment, that we needed to honor that. So it won’t be open leadership.”

J’hon saw Daniel relax, his smile slightly sardonic. “So they’ll take me, but they still get me all to themselves. How kind.”

“Less competition for our lovely Queen isn’t a bad thing,” Larry assured him, smiling. “We’re going to hunt lightly later, do you two need anything?”

 _A fat wherry would be nice,_ Amanth said meekly, though he could sense his dragon’s frustration at not being able to hunt himself. _Just one. I still feel a little… off._

“Just one wherry,” J’hon repeated, moving to stroke his dragon’s hide soothingly. He looked back to Larry. “Any word from Fort?”

Larry shook his head. “I’m going to steal over there now, though. Did you still want me to take something to Harper Hall afterward?”

“Please.” J’hon turned away to find the notes he’d been working on that morning. Behind him, he heard Daniel sigh softly.

“I’m really sorry about all of this, Lar….”

Larry smiled, pressing a kiss to Daniel’s forehead. “Family, right? Don’t worry.” He took the folded leaves J’hon offered him and tucked them inside his jacket. “Straight to the Masterharper?”

J’hon shook his head. “To Harper Idan, he’ll know how to get it quietly into the right hands. Try to keep things low key. If H’dan knows we’re getting the Harpers involved….”

“Don’t worry. Greens are always coming and going, that’s the beauty of there being a billion of the dears. Discrete by design.” Larry clapped J’hon on the shoulder and turned, heading out of the weyr.

“Kheironth says she’s itchy,” Daniel said, and glanced to him with a smile. “Help me?”

It would be nice to lose himself to a familiar task, J’hon thought as he helped Daniel gather oil and brushes. Something to focus on other than worry. He started to work oil into the already gleaming hide of Kheironth’s neck, and Amanth moved carefully to the mouth of the weyr, reaching out to nudge his back.

 _You should sing something._ he told him. _I’d like to sing with you._

“I’d like that, too,” Daniel said softly, peeking over at him from around Kheironth’s neck.

J’hon pondered the notion for a time before focusing on a song in his mind. He wanted to be encouraging, but he didn’t have the heart to be able to fake joy. 

Within a few words, Amanth started to hum softly, the harmony in his voice reinforcing the song’s melancholy, minor key. Kheironth’s sweeter tones joined a moment later. 

_The tears I feel today  
I’ll wait to shed tomorrow,  
Though I’ll not sleep this night  
Nor find surcease from sorrow.  
My eyes must keep their sight;  
I dare not be tear-blinded.  
I must be free to speak  
Not choked with grief, clear-minded.  
My tongue cannot betray  
The anguish that I know.  
I’ll keep my tears ‘till later;  
But my grief will never go._

By the time he’d finished, the haunting melody had been picked up by what must have been most of the dragons in the weyr, who started into it a second time. Eyes burning, he tried to continue, but found he couldn’t sing past the lump in his throat. A moment later Daniel stepped around Kheironth to join him, holding him tight as High Reaches’ dragons sung in honor of their departed queen.

***

 

“I want to stay with you,” J’hon said softly later that evening, as they sat curled together against Kheironth, Amanth stretched nearby with his wing carefully supported by bolsters. “I want to be there for you for the whole flight. I mean, if you want me to.”

He watched surprise and concern flit across his lover’s face to be replaced with a wondering, slightly incredulous smile. “You mean that?”

J’hon nodded, leaning closer and letting his forehead rest to Daniel’s. “Of course I do. I love you. May I stay?”

“I want you to,” Daniel said softly, the shiver running through him. "I do, but - J’hon, it’s not going to be easy. You’ve seen flights, you’ve participated in them… Are you certain you want to see that? All those dragons chasing Kheironth, all those men….”

“I know. I still want to stay with you.”

Daniel drew back, his voice almost brittle. “And if it’s H’dan who takes me to bed?”

J’hon felt a shudder ran through him. “Don’t think about that.”

Daniel’s lips pursed slightly as he tried to control his expression. “I have to, J’hon. It could happen.”

More than anything, J’hon wished he could just wrap his lover in his arms and protect him from everything. He’d trade places with him, if it wouldn’t mean belittling his position and his bond with Kheironth. He forced himself to smile, pressing a soft kiss to his mouth. “In that case, I definitely want to stay with you. If you want me to.”

Daniel drew a shuddering breath and nodded wordlessly, burying his face in the crook of his neck. “Take me to bed now, J’hon. I don’t want to think about this anymore.”

***

 

J’hon awoke in the wee hours of morning with Daniel’s body twined around his, his lips hot as they pressed needy kisses up his neck, one hand teasing J’hon’s already half-hard cock. J’hon reacted without thinking, sleepily pulling him closer, hands sliding down the bare length of his back and over that pert ass he loved so much. He moaned appreciatively as Daniel’s hips rocked against his thigh, his lover’s erection sliding against his skin. “Mmm… Good morning to you too, love.”

Daniel’s breath was hot against his skin as he nuzzled J’hon’s jaw, his voice low and husky from sleep and desire both. “Make love to me, J’hon….”

J’hon turned into his embrace to catch his mouth in a warm kiss, but woke a little more as he did. Daniel was always a sensual and appreciative lover, that this was a little bold, even for him…. He forced himself to break from the kiss, holding Daniel back with a hand on his chest as his lover tried to follow for another. “Daniel. Daniel! Where’s Kheironth?”

“Still sleeping,” Daniel replied, a little irritably. Then he was suddenly alert. “Shards. It’s time, isn’t it?”

“Not quite yet,” J’hon tried to assure, wanting to smooth the sudden panic from his lover’s face. He pulled him close again, kissing him warm and slow. “If she’s asleep, we have time. It’s still dark. Let me help you relax before she wakes up.”

Fortunately Daniel was too keyed up to resist, quickly relaxing under J’hon’s kisses, wrapping his thighs up around his waist and rocking against him. He drew trembling breath against J’hon’s mouth. “Feel like I can hardly control myself. I don’t like this, J’hon.”

“Shhh, love. Don’t worry. Dragons have been mating for hundreds of years.” he murmured, dropping his head to nibble at the point on Daniel’s neck that always made his lover groan. 

Now it made Daniel whimper, fingers digging into his back. “J’hon, please….”

“Just relax,” he murmured, kissing him again before reaching for the bottle of oil on the shelf beside the bed. “I’ll take care of you.”

He nuzzled down the length of Daniel’s body to draw the flat of his tongue up the shaft of his erection, taking his cock in his mouth and groaning around him at the taste of his arousal. At the same time he drizzled little of the oil onto his sack and let it run down soft skin behind, stroking his fingers through it between his ass cheeks. Daniel’s body was tense with want, and as J’hon pressed his fingers inside him he gave a needy, breathless whimper, arching to push them deeper. “Shards, yes, more….”

Whether it was Daniel’s urgency or his own desire, J’hon had to fight to stay calm, scissoring his fingers in him and slowly stretching him open as he lavished attention on his cock. The desperate little whimpers of pleasure that he pulled from Daniel’s lips were as rewarding as they always were, but as his lips slid down the length of his shaft, Daniel’s fingers tightened in his hair, pulling back.

“Make love to me,” his lover pleaded softly. “I need it so bad, J’hon, I can’t even….”

J’hon placed a kiss to the head of his cock before easing his fingers away, moving up to kiss Daniel, hard and eager. There was nothing he wanted more than to bury himself in the warmth of his lover’s welcoming body. But he had more than himself to think about. “Not yet, love. You need to be alert for Kheironth. Let me pleasure you with my mouth while I finger you open….”

Daniel whimpered with soft frustration, but nodded. “Only if I can do the same for you?”

J’hon grinned, nipping at his bottom lip. “Kneel over my face, then.”

Daniel turned to do as he asked, his lips parting over the head of J’hon’s cock before J’hon barely had time to do anything. He sucked in a sharp breath of the slick pleasure of his lover’s mouth, and forced himself to focus, pouring more oil on his fingers before reaching up to press them back into Daniel’s body. He took his lover’s erection in his mouth again, moving with the little bucks of Daniel’s hips as he worked his fingers and him and stretched open, groaning around him.

Part of J’hon reflected he probably shouldn’t be finding this as arousing as he was. Not when someone else would soon be in bed with his Daniel - and he didn’t even know who. But there is a strange satisfaction in knowing that he was helping Daniel prepare to fly with his Queen. And the little desperate, fucked-out groans that Daniel was giving around his cock as J’hon twisted his fingers just so? That was very arousing indeed.

Daniel whimpered swallowed around him, holding still for a moment before pulling back, sucking at him hungrily. It felt maddening, and desperate, and J’hon was certain he wouldn’t last long. He had three fingers buried to the knuckles and Daniel’s ass as he fucked him open, and though every nerve in his body screamed with the need to come, he tried to focus on Daniel. Of course, his lover’s whimpers of pleasure only stoked his own arousal more. Taking Daniel’s cock deeper, he worked the tip of his pinky carefully and with the others, and in moments Daniel was coming down his throat, crying out as his body clenched and shuddered from pleasure. Almost before he’d recovered, he had J’hon’s cock in his mouth again, blowing him in earnest, until J’hon’s entire world went white.

Trying to catch his breath, J’hon opened his arms as his lover crawled back into them, holding him close.

“I’m glad you’re staying with me,” Daniel murmured, and kissed him.

***

Daniel wasn’t sure why J’hon had been worried about wearing him out; even after his lover’s attentions had brought him to a glorious climax, he still felt keyed up, the arousal and anticipation of what was to come humming through his veins. He pulled on a loose robe like Larry had recommended and went with J’hon into the weyr where Kheironth was still sleeping.

Amanth was awake, shifting uncomfortably in his stone hollow, and Daniel made a note to make sure they spoiled him after all this was said and done. He moved to the bronze Dragon’s head, embracing his muzzle and stroking an eye ridge soothingly. “Will you be all right, dear Amanth?”

“Do you want some fellis?” J’hon asked softly, but Amanth gave a soft snort.

_No. Don’t worry, I ache too much to be turned on. I will stay alert. If anyone tries anything I will bite them._

The touch of his old humor cheered Daniel, and he pressed a kiss to the dragon’s hide.

“Weyrwo - Queen rider?” A soft voice called from outside the weyr, and Daniel skirted Kheironth’s form quickly, lifting a finger to his lips. One of the kitchen girl stood on the steps with a tray of food and a jug of klah, and he motioned her inside.

“The kitchen sent up some breakfast for you,” she said, but as she set the tray the table, J’hon grabbed her arm.

“Who?”

The girl looked up at him, confused. “I - someone just told me that the Werywoman needed breakfast, I – “

Daniel suddenly realized the reason for his worry, and fought to hold back the surge of anger that came with the realization. His fingers curled into fists at his side, and his voice shook when he spoke. “Can you taste it for me, J’hon?”

J’hon nodded, releasing the trembling girl’s wrist. “Don’t move,” he ordered, then word a little of the klah in a cup and swished it around in his mouth. He spit it back out and grabbed one of the rolls, which looked to be seasoned with some kind of herb but smelled suspiciously skunky. “I don’t think we should eat this. It smells too much like your mother’s tincture. The klah tastes off, too.”

“Scorch it!” Trembling with anger, Daniel swept the tray to the floor, reaching with his mind as he did. _Santh! Don’t let Ben eat anything. They tried to drug me!_

His brother’s dragon sounded farther away than expected, and as Daniel touched his mind, the low-level arousal he’d been feeling went up a notch. _Don’t worry, Ben says there’s no way he could eat even if he wanted to. I kill and blood. We’re coming back now. I’m ready for Kheironth._

J’hon was speaking and low tones to the kitchen girl, who looked near tears. “Rea, I want you to go back to the kitchens for now, and if anyone asks you about your task, you remember who it is and what they said very carefully, okay? You aren’t in trouble, but I expect you back here this afternoon to tell the Weyrw - Daniel and I- everything you know. If you don’t come back, I will find you. Or I will make Alice find you. And then you will be in very, very big trouble. Do you understand?”

She nodded, and fled from the weyr, and Daniel knelt beside the upturned tray, gathering the scattered contents with trembling hands. Anger, fear and anxiety mixed with the hunger in need that he felt, and everything was so overwhelming that he felt that if he tried to say another word he might burst into tears.

J’hon knelt behind him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and pressing a kiss to his hair. “Don’t think about this,” he said, voice low and warm, and it wrapped around Daniel blanket. “We’ve prepared for this, remember? Everything will be okay. I’ll make sure of it, I promise.”

 _We come, Queen rider,_ Fionnth sounded unexpectedly in his mind. _More green riders come to you. My Larry has roused them. We will help our Queen. Erinth and Cilith’s riders are wagering as to which one of them can bed H’dan when he loses._

Daniel recognized the names as two of the Queen’s candidates who’d impressed green dragons in his hatching, and they had embraced the smaller dragons’ sexual proclivities joyfully and wholeheartedly. Between that unexpected news and J’hon’s reassurances, he felt his worries fade. He laughed softly, turning to press a kiss to J’hon’s cheek before standing. “You’re right. We’ll be fine.”

Daniel let out long breath, then moved to the mouth of the weyr. He reached out with his mind as broadly as he could, knowing he’d be heard but speaking aloud as well for J’hon’s benefit. “Please tell your riders that Kheironth will be rising shortly, and the flight is open to dragons of any color and for Weyr leadership. My injured weyrmate will staying with me throughout the flight, and if anyone has an issue with that, they need not fly.”

As if his words had been her cue, Kheironth awoke, slowly uncoiling and stretching out on the ledge in front of the weyr. If Daniel hadn’t thought he’d been aroused before, it was nothing compared to now, and he half staggered back into the weyr where J’hon was waiting to support him. He could feel heat pulse through his entire body, thudding in his ears and making him ache with need. He could feel Kheironth’s hunger, her craving, but also her pride, and for a moment she did nothing but stretch herself out, balancing on her hindquarters with glorious wings unfurled as she surveyed _her_ weyr.

Dragons lined the edges of the weyr, perched on the seven spires of High Reaches, and the warm light of sunrise reflected bright and jeweled hides. All watching her. All waiting for her.

She was aloft before Daniel could think, halfway across the weyr and diving towards the herds, catching a crying buck in her talons. The hot blood that slid down her throat with rich and invigorating, and she’d almost torn into its flesh before he caught himself and held her firm. She couldn’t eat. She had to fly.

He had no idea what was going on in the weyr, but that didn’t matter. J’hon would take care of him. For now he could turn his full attention to Kheironth, killing again and draining the beast, then taking another, drinking until her flesh was hot and her body buzzed with energy.

Now let them try and catch her.

Kheironth threw her head back and cried out a challenge, then launched herself, soaring into the sky, faster than he’d ever felt her fly before. This was what she’d been made for: to fly, to soar, to chase the disappearing night until High Reaches was a mere speck below her. There were others following, her admirers. The throngs of strong bronzes and even brown dragons who thought they could catch her, who thought they could claim her!

She wheeled away, letting them chase, diving, and soaring, and soaring higher, high enough that she could see the sparkle of the sea in the West. Her land, and when one proved himself enough to catch her, then every pleasure would be hers, and the land would be theirs together.

Daniel tried to make sense of the dragons of pursued them, distracted and disoriented by Kheironth’s joy and arousal. _We have to find Santh,_ he thought to her desperately, but couldn’t help but feel it was a lost cause. Even with how far and how fast she’d flown, many still pursued her, gaining. If she could just catch an updraft –

Suddenly, talloned claws caught at her shoulders, a bronze catching her tight and pulling her close as their bodies twined. Lust overwhelmed Daniel, heat and pleasure and filling every part of him. But who was it that held his beloved close and made her feel such elation as they coupled?

Daniel quickly forced his attention back to the weyr, finding himself naked and caught in a tangle of limbs in bed, in J’hon’s arms, with J’hon’s lips on his own, as another kissed hotly down his neck. Daniel arched back against him with a desperate moan, his body craving, aching for completion, and in the moment he could barely think to even care about who he was with. His rational mind felt a spike of panic that forced him to speak. “J’hon?!”

“It’s all right,” his lover murmured, and Daniel took comfort in the happiness he could hear in his voice. “We’re okay, you can let go.”

Daniel let his eyes fall closed and reached back to the bronze rider behind him, catching his hip and pulling him insistently close. “Yes,” he breathed, letting Kheironth’s passion fill him. “Take me. Shards, _claim me - !_ ”

He felt the rider shudder against him, his breath heated against Daniel’s shoulder, and his fingers dug into his hips as he rocked inside him, filling him with hard, insistent thrusts. He was thick, bigger then J’hon, but despite the ache of it, Daniel still needed more. He pulled J’hon closer, one hand clawing up his back as he writhed between them, each thrust of the other man’s hips making him cry out, mewling and desperate against J’hon’s mouth.

The rider behind him sealed his mouth on the crook Daniel’s shoulder, biting into his flesh, a surge of pain and pleasure that left Daniel maddened, feeling almost desperate to come. His erection pressed stiff against his stomach, untouched, but it didn’t matter; each thrust of his lover’s thick cock drove a shock of sensation through him that was more than intense enough to drive him towards climax. “Please,” he gasped, trying to move with him, shuddering. “Please, don’t stop.…”

“Shards, _Daniel…_ ” Husky and lost to pleasure, Ben’s helpless groan was still unmistakable, and Daniel felt a rush of joy and relief at the realization.

He closed his eyes and rocked back onto his brother’s cock, every nerve in his body singing, and he cried out as his pleasure finally reached its peak. “Yes… oh, Ben!”

He vaguely registered J’hon echoing his cry with a desperate plea with his own, and as Daniel felt his brother spend himself inside him, he became aware that Ben was working his lover’s cock, letting J’hon rock up into his fingers as he flooded them with seed.

For a long moment, Daniel tried to adjust to having his full faculties returned to him. But when Ben shifted against his back to pull away, he caught hold of his hip again, holding him close. “Don’t go yet.”

Ben sighed softly against his skin, nuzzling his neck. “Are you all right?” He asked softly, arms tightening around them both.

Daniel closed his eyes for a moment and took stock, his nerves still singing in the aftermath of orgasm, still feeling deliciously full with Ben’s softening cock. He tightened around him with a soft moan as an aftershock of pleasure ran through him, and Ben hissed softly, breath hot against his neck. “Daniel…”

“I’m good,” he managed, joy and relief surging through him in coming out in a breathless, laughing moan. “I’m good now, I’m perfect. Oh, Ben, _thank you._ ”

He felt Ben relax against him, pressing a soft kiss to his shoulder before easing away. “Good,” he murmured, sitting up to look down on both of them. “Stay here as long as you like. I need to go…” He sighed. “Make sure nothing’s exploded.”

Daniel shook his head and sat, wrapping his arms around his brother and pulling him close. “I love you,” he murmured, nuzzling his cheek, encouraged when Ben relaxed into him. “You’ll be a good Weyrleader.”

“Shards, I hope so,” Ben sighed. He moved back to press a soft kiss to Daniel’s mouth, and it made a remnant of remembered passion shiver through him. “You two both did so good. J’hon – thanks.”

“Hey, that was hot,” J’hon replied, his warmth and good humor lifting Daniel’s mood even more. “Let’s do that again next time. Bring L’rence with you, we’ll make a foursome.”

Ben chuckled softly, shaking his head. “He’d probably be up for it,” he admitted, finding and pulling on his clothes before leaving.

Daniel watched his brother leave the weyr, then relaxed back willingly into J’hon’s arms. He stroked his fingers up into dark curls still damp from their exertions, watching his lover a little worriedly. “Are you okay, love?”

J’hon grinned in response, green eyes narrowing, contented. He stole a warm kiss from his lips. “Mmhmmm....” 

“Are you sure?” Daniel pressed, and J’hon chuckled.

“Darling, I just got a very impassioned hand job from the weyr's most handsome - and unavailable - bronze rider while you were writhing against me like the sexiest thing ever. I'd say I'm pretty damn okay.” He cuddled him back into the bed, dropping soft, lazy kisses along his jaw and nuzzling his ear. “So proud of you, love. Thank you for letting me share this.”

“I want to share everything with you,” Daniel murmured, realizing he’d never said anything more true. 

***


	7. Chapter 7

By the time Ben called for the wing leaders to meet, the sun was high overhead. Daniel had forced himself to leave the warm comfort of J’hon’s arms to wash and make himself presentable, though he rather wished he didn’t have to. There was a tender pink mark on his skin at the crook of his neck from Ben’s teeth and he knew it would bruise, but he couldn’t stop his fingers from brushing against it as he thought back over Kheironth’s flight and felt his face heat. Was it the remnants of Kheironth’s passion, or his own desires?

“Can we make love again later?” He murmured as he hugged J’hon tight before leaving.

“Anytime you want, my love,” J’hon promised, lips nuzzling his jaw, then pressing a warm kiss to his lips before stepping back.

Ben was waiting for him with K’ton in the halls that led to the conference room, and he pulled Daniel into a tight, brief hug. “After you, Queen rider.”

Daniel appreciated the necessary motion of respect, though part of him very much wanted to hide behind his older brother. H’dan would not be the only rider unhappy with the results of Kheironth’s flight. Even setting aside H’dan’s unknown allies, the man he’d put into power was a very junior bronze rider and a wing second. Certainly many would believe it to be a poor decision for High Reaches.

But he was Werywoman now. Werywoman? The title seemed daft, inappropriate. He was Daniel. Kheironth’s rider, the senior Queen of High Reaches. If the wingleaders had become used to a quiet, docile Queen who kept herself uninvolved with weyr politics, then they had a surprise coming to them. Dalia and Kheironth had both chosen him for this. He would stand at Ben’s side and support Kheironth‘s decision.

He’d been in the conference room before, he and Dalia had attended regular meetings once they started fighting as the Queens wing. He tried to ignore the stares that half the men in the room directed towards him, and took Dalia’s seat at the foot of the oval table, though he felt a little exposed and alone with no second beside him.

Ben followed him into the room, ignoring the spot at the head of the oval table and K’ton’s pointed look, and taking a seat beside Daniel instead. Daniel found himself quietly thankful of it. “Thank you for gathering,” Ben said, his voice low but strong, and despite a few low murmurs the wing leaders and seconds took his cue and found seats at the table. Once they were seated, Weyr Harper Shoyto stood.

The Harper cleared his throat to command attention. “As Weyr Harper of High Reaches, I hereby formally witness the change in Weyr Leadership. At the death of the respected Weyrwoman Dalia and her Queen Tannath yesterday, leadership passed as per tradition to the next Queen dragon to rise, gold Kheironth, and her rider Daniel. This change in leadership received full support of the wingleaders. Today at sunrise Kheironth was flown by bronze Santh, and the Weyrleader title has passed to his rider, B’min.”

H’dan glared at him from across the table. “Well, young B’min. You’ve gone and caught yourself a Queen have you? That’s a lot of responsibility for one so young, and who isn’t even a wingleader yet. Surely you’ll do the sensible thing and step down. I would be happy to continue leading High Reaches on your behalf.”

Ben stood slowly, surveying the table for a long moment, though whether his silence was to build anticipation, or because he was choosing his words, Daniel wasn’t sure. “I am very young,” he said finally, voice strong and calm. “I can’t pretend to have the experience needed to run this weyr successfully. I didn’t intend to compete for leadership, but my mother asked me to. Now here I am.”

He stood a little straighter, drawing a deep breath. “I’m not so impudent as to belittle the dragons’ choice for leadership. But I want what’s best for High Reaches. So what I would like to propose is this: until Kheironth rises again, any major decisions will be made by the wing leaders as a whole, the same as if they would if our weyr leader had died. The books and finances of the weyr will be made open for public scrutiny. I will only take a position higher than any of the rest of you if it’s necessary to resolve a dispute. The value of the experience held by everyone sitting at the table is unmeasurable, and I’d like the Weyr to operate under that combined experience.”

“But you’ll notice he isn’t refusing the appointment.” H’dan stood as well, leaning on the table and glaring at the various attendants in turn. ”This _boy_ ,” he hissed, and Daniel could see Ben’s jaw clench tense beside him. “This boy is barely 20 turns old. He can’t run the weyr!”

“There’s been younger Weyrleaders who’ve lead very successfully,” M’cho pointed out calmly. “B’min’s proposal is sound.”

“It’s a proposal designed to placate us! You don’t even know if he won legitimately. These boys have been plotting against me since Dalia brought them back here!” He glared at Ben across the table. “If you won’t give up leadership willingly, I’ll make sure myself that you aren’t Weyrleader for long!”

M’cho gave him a sharp look. “I hope you’re not threatening our new Weyrleader? Or questioning the word of a Harper?”

“His dragon has cheated in mating flights before,” H’dan said, near trembling with fury. “I refute his leadership.”

“That is true,” agreed someone to H’dan left. “Are we sure he didn’t do it again this time?”

Shoyto spoke quickly. “I beg your pardon, H’dan, but I witnessed the flight with my own eyes. The Weyrlingmaster and his dragon were kind enough to follow this historic flight and take me along as a spectator. We witnessed the integrity of the flight, and are both willing to testify to anyone on Pern that the results were legitimate.”

H’dan’s glare was hot enough to char thread, but he sat down slowly, jaw clenched, saying nothing.

Ben looked around the table, voice low and hard. “If anyone else has any concerns, please voice them now. There are two things that I will not allow to have happen in this weyr. Antagonism towards other riders must stop. I’m talking about antagonism between us, and I’m talking about the harassment of the green riders. Anyone making a move to threaten or harm another rider or his dragon will be dealt with harshly and immediately. Second, it’s been discovered that someone attempted to drug Kheironth’s rider, our Senior Queen, this morning in an attempt to influence the outcome of the leadership flight. Had he not employed a taster, they would have been successful. This is completely unacceptable. If anyone, _anyone_ tries to harm Daniel in any way, ever, _you will never set foot in this weyr again_. Do I make myself clear?”

The passion and vehemence in Ben’s voice even made Daniel shiver, and everyone around the table looked legitimately shocked apart from the fuming H’dan.

J'vet finally spoke, the only wing leader who was older than M’cho. Daniel remembered his kind words of condolence for Dalia the day before, and felt reassured by the stunned look on the older bronze rider’s face. “Weyrleader, I sincerely hope I speak for us all in saying that I’m completely horrified by this news. You have my complete support in any action or investigation into this terrible matter.”

Several of the other riders were already nodding as he spoke. H’dan shot him a glare across the table, but said nothing.

Seemingly satisfied for now, Ben sat down again. “Thank you, J'vet. Dragonriders, we have threadfall tomorrow, so any further investigation will have to wait until after that. Let’s proceed with reports. From my left?”

When Daniel returned to the weyr, J’hon had just finished speaking with the little kitchen girl from the morning. He patted Rea on the shoulder with an encouraging smile, and though the look she gave Daniel as she passed him was wary, she seemed far less traumatized she had the last time she’d left his weyr.

“She doesn’t know anything,” J’hon told him, frowning as he looped his arms loosely around Daniel’s waist. “She said that someone had left the pastry and the pitcher of klah on one of tables for her to pick up, but the cavern was fairly busy at the time and she doesn’t remember anyone speaking to her.”

Daniel sighed and leaned into him, trying to let the warmth of his embrace push away his insecurities. “You haven’t heard back from the Harpers yet, have you?”

J’hon shook his head. “I haven’t seen Larry since the flight. Come eat something before it gets cold, love. It’s safe. Rea told me she brought it straight from Alice herself.”

“I don’t imagine that drugging me would do them any good now, anyway.” Daniel sat down with him, digging into the hot roasted meat, bread and cheese, and realizing suddenly famished he was.

They were just finishing when Fionnth landed at the mouth of the weyr. Larry slid off, bowing to Kheironth and offering murmured congratulations with a smile before coming in. “Oooh, lunch. Can I have some? I picked up a roll at Fort but I’ve been on escort since morning. Kheironth’s flight cut into our schedules. You two ready to go?”

Daniel motioned towards the tray, which still held a large assortment of food; Rea’s apology for bringing a tainted breakfast, he supposed. “Go?”

“Idan says Harmond has asked for you. Fairly urgently. I’m to bring you back at high noon.”

“Shells!” Daniel jumped to his feet, going for his heavy coat to protect against the cold of _between_. ”That was candlemarks ago!”

Larry waved a hand, taking a huge bite of bread and meat and putting his feet up on the edge of the table. “Mmmnt worry ‘bout it.” He swallowed. “Fionnth and I can find time.”

Daniel turned back to him quickly, staring. “I hope you’re not saying what I think you’re saying. You’re not even supposed to know about that.”

Larry grin was particularly blasé even for him. “How else do you think we’ve been secretly running your errands? It’s not my fault she learned from Santh. We’ll leave when I’m done eating.” His smile gentled at the soft whimper Daniel gave. “Don’t worry, weyrbrother. Fionnth is very well trained. I wouldn’t put either of us in any danger. Or you.”

 _I always fly safely,_ Fionnth agreed.

“I never understood why that was restricted just to bronzes and golds,” J’hon remarked, finding both his and Daniel’s coats.

Larry snorted, washing his food down with a sip of wine. “Can you imagine the chaos if every green in the weyr knew how to time it? We’d be running into ourselves all the time, there’s just too damn many of us.”

Daniel pulled on his jacket before crossing the weyr, checking the water in Amanth’s trough and reaching up to stroke the bronze dragon’s muzzle. His hide was a good color and felt warm and smooth, both good signs for his convalescence. “Will you be all right here with Kheironth, dear Amanth? Do you hurt anywhere?”

_I am fine. Kafima changed my dressings during your meeting. She has gentle hands. I will protect your weyr._

“You deserve more than to be stuck here as my watch-wher, brave Amanth,” he murmured, once again feeling a surge of anger at the memory of what had happened. “We’re going to find out what happened to you. Do you remember anything strange from the day you are hurt? When you went hunting was there anything wrong with your prey?”

 _I always hunt the strong ones,_ Amanth replied, sounding a little indignant. _We leave the slow for the younglings. My lunch was fast and strong and delicious._

“Of course you do,” J’hon soothed him instantly. “When did your stomach start to hurt? You seemed fine when we were preparing to fight.”

Amanth hung his head, and Daniel felt a wash of shame from him. _I didn’t hurt until we were fighting. It came on suddenly. I’m sorry, J’hon. I almost got us killed._

J’hon moaned softly, dismayed, wrapping his arms around Amanth’s neck and pressing his face to his hide. “No. None of this is your fault, my bravest. I promise will find out who did this to you.”

 _And when we do, I’ll deal with the coward myself._ Kheironth said, loud enough for the others to hear. _I am brave, too._

“Of course you are,” Daniel told her, moving to embrace her muzzle with a sudden surge of love. _You did so well today,_ he thought towards her. _So very well, my darling. You are the strongest, most beautiful Queen that’s ever lived in all of Pern._

 _I know,_ she replied, sounding very pleased with herself. _I told you that I always get what I want. I was pleased. You were very pleased. Santh and I will hatch many strong hatchlings. Everyone will see that I’m the strongest Queen and you are the best rider._

“Of course you are,” Daniel murmured, and kissed her nose.

When Larry finished they mounted Fionnth, with Daniel safely sandwiched in the middle; Larry in front of him and J’hon behind. It was a rather nice feeling to be seated between the warm strength of their toned bodies, but he made himself push away thoughts of sex. There were far more important things for him to think about.

It was always a little strange to ride Fionnth, who was less than half the size of Kheironth, though more than large enough to handle three riders. He found himself wondering again what it would have been like to impress a green. It certainly would have caused less trouble for J’hon and Amanth….

 _You were meant to be a Queen rider,_ Kheironth told him firmly. _I knew that from the shell. I wouldn’t let any of the other hatchlings have you. We will take good care of this Weyr together._

 _We will,_ Daniel thought back to her with love as Fionnth launched herself skyward, flying free of High Reaches and going _between_.

They appeared in the air above Fort Hold with the sun high overhead, which even Daniel had to admit was expertly done. He’d never tried - or needed - to go _between_ times with Kheironth, and quietly thought that it was very brave of Larry and Fionnth to try despite the danger. But he knew Larry wasn’t the type to take reckless chances; he cared far too much for Ben to do that.

Daniel was surprised to see a gold Queen already sunning herself on the fire heights among the handful of dragons visiting the hold. He reached out with his mind to greet her. _I’m Kheironth’s rider, Daniel. You are… Innanth?_

The Queen raised her head to watch them as Fionnth landed in the courtyard. _Well met, Kheironth’s Daniel. Serrah waits for you inside with the Masterharper._

“Serrah’s here!” Daniel told them excitedly before sliding down off Fionnth. “Maybe the healers found something!”

“We can hope,” Larry replied, leading them towards Harper Hall as Fionnth took off to join Innanth and the others on the fire heights. There was a man waiting for them at the entrance, who nodded to J’hon and Larry before turning to Daniel. “Riders J’hon, L’rence. And you are Kheironth’s rider, Daniel? I’m Harper Idan. Please come with me.”

Daniel felt J’hon place a hand on the small of his back protectively as they made their way through the hall, though his lover’s mouth turned up into a small, fond smile. “I remember this place being much bigger.”

“You were much smaller when you were last here,” Idan replied, chuckling softly. He stopped in front of a set of double doors and knocked lightly before pushing them open.

Inside, speaking with Serrah, was a tall man with a commanding presence to Daniel quickly recognized as the Masterharper of Pern. He was handsome man, his short dark hair streaked with gray, and the fine lines around his mouth and blue eyes spoke of both wisdom and kindness. Serrah smiled widely as she turned to Daniel, and the dark-haired Queen rider gave a low bow. “Congratulations on your flight yesterday, Weyrleader.”

“Thank you,” Daniel replied, encouraged by the warmth of her reception. He held a hand out towards the Masterharper. “Masterharper? I’m Kheironth’s rider, Daniel of High Reaches.”

“I’m very pleased to meet the new Weyrleader of High Reaches. Please call me Harmond. I hope my former Harper apprentice isn’t causing you too much trouble?” He glanced to J’hon with a fond smile.

“I’m afraid it’s the opposite,” Daniel replied, finding himself even more comforted and at ease by the Masterharper’s friendly and easy manner. “Someone targeted him and Amanth to get to me. People who want to use me to keep themselves in power. I know that one is former Weyrleader H’dan, but we haven’t been able to identify his co-conspirators.”

Harmond nodded, watching him. “I’ve had my suspicions about H’dan since your father’s death, as have some of the riders from both Fort Weyr and your own.” He gave a respectful nod towards Serrah. “I am happy to call H’dan to justice for his crimes as Masterharper, but I cannot do it without witnesses, proof, or his own admittance of his crimes. The healers unfortunately weren’t able to find anything in the sample you sent Serrah. Do you think he will act again now that he’s out of power, or do we have time to find the proof we need?”

His words were too close to Daniel’s own concerns, which chilled him. “I’m quite certain he will. He openly threatened Ben – B’min, my brother, the new Weyrleader, during Council today. He also tried to refute the leadership and accuse him of cheating, but your Harper stood witness for the legitimacy of my Queen’s flight.”

“I thought he might,” Harmond agreed. “I’m glad Shoyto took my advice on following the flight.”

“High Reaches flies to meet threadfall tomorrow,” J’hon reminded them. “What if he does the same thing to B’min as he did to Amanth and I? K’ton’s certain it’s how he killed C’son. Can you hold him on suspicion of harming Amanth?”

“I can, however it would still leave his unknown conspirators free to act. And if B’min was hurt while H’dan was being held it would do more to exonerate him than not. I think our best chance is to try and discover how they’re doing it. We have the rest of the day and a full night before your weyr leaves to fight thread, and access to all the records of Harper Hall and Healer Hall. Serrah has offered to stay and help us as well. We’ll take over our records room for the night; Idan, tell the apprentices that they have the night off.”

“Lucky apprentices,” J’hon muttered as they followed Harmond out of the office. Once they were ensconced in the records room, the apprentices who had been working at copying records kicked out, Harmond set to questioning him in detail, noting down everything he said about Amanth’s accident, how he felt, what he ate. He asked about strange things that Daniel wouldn’t have thought important, especially when J’hon told him about the attempt to drug him the morning of the flight.

He turned to Daniel next, asking him to recount the details of the wing leaders meeting after the flight; H’dan’s threats, Ben’s response, and how Ben had told them about the attempts to skew the flight.

The Masterharper sat up a little straighter at that. “Who spoke first?” He asked urgently.

“One of the wing leaders. J'vet. He’s the oldest bronze rider, I think.” Daniel replied, and recounted the response.

“He’s one to watch, then.” Harmond regarded Daniel for a moment. “What do you think their end game is, Weyrleader? Not an accusation, just your opinion, from what you know.”

Daniel hesitated, then spoke. “I think they’ve been skimming the tithe, and likely other Weyr funds. The pass will be over in a few turns and they want to keep themselves in luxury. They used my mother’s sorrow to keep her complacent. Their goal has always been to use me in the same way, I’ve overheard that much. I fear for my brother’s life. Santh has been hunting outside the weyr exclusively, but maybe someone, somehow injected Amanth directly? I don’t know.”

Serrah nodded. “The trouble is, there just isn’t much that could make a Dragon’s sick like that. Needlethorn poison or a tunnel snake venom would have visibly affected the herdbeast he ate - even if they’d somehow known exactly which one Amanth would catch. It’s much more likely that they targeted him directly, somehow. I just don’t know how someone can give a bronze dragon the amount of either of those poisons that would be needed to make him sick like that without the dragon noticing.” She looked to Daniel. “I don’t suppose we could just convince your brother not fight tomorrow, could we?”

Daniel shook his head. “It’s going to be hard enough for him to gain the weyr’s confidence as it is, let alone if they see him shirking his duty. Unless we know for certain how Amanth was poisoned….”

“Then that’s what we’ll do.” Masterharper Harmond looked up from his notes. “They must have discovered their method somehow, so we can discover it too. Serrah, can you go to Healer’s Hall and borrow any record that they can find on anything that may have poisoned man or beast in the past? We’ll start going back through our records of weyr and dragon deaths. Look for anything strange and unusual.”

It was a daunting undertaking. Daniel read until his eyes burned, and his fingers were dry from handling dusty records. At some point Harmond sent for food, which he forced himself to nibble on, but mostly he focused on reading, sipping cups of klah from a pitcher that was thankfully kept topped up as the day grew late. They came across a few incidents in the medical records that seemed promising, but after talking through them with the Masterharper realized they didn’t fit Amanth’s symptoms.

At one point he awoke to J’hon’s hand on his shoulder, and realized he’d fallen asleep hunched over the table. “You should take a nap, love. Harmond and Serrah both are, they’ll be back in three candlemarks. We’ve been awake almost a full day if you take into account the fact that we timed it here. You and Kheironth are fighting thread tomorrow, aren’t you? I’ll keep looking while you sleep.”

Daniel rubbed his eyes with one palm, draining the half cup of cold klah that sat at his elbow. “Kheironth just rose today – ah, yesterday - so I can get away with sitting out. Larry…”

He looked to where his friend was reading, bouncing one knee up and down enough or to stay awake as he leafed through yet another record. How many extra hours had the man added to his day already? He didn’t look up until Daniel called his name again, then started out of his focused daze. “Yeah?”

“Go home and make sure Ben gets some rest. You both have threadfall.”

He shook his head. “I’ll sleep when we find the answer. Santh said he’d make sure Ben went to bed. Fionnth’s asleep. She’ll be fine for threadfall. Is there more klah?”

Daniel retrieved the pitcher and took it to him. “How many hours have you been awake, Lar? You’re not going to be any good to Ben if you’re – “

“He’s my weyrmate! I’m not sleeping until we find the answer!”

Daniel could see his own fear reflected plainly in his friend’s eyes, and he nodded. “All right. But if you don’t sleep at all, you’re not flying. Kheironth will make sure of that. You were on escort all day, that’s reason enough for me to ground you.”

“I can live with that,” Larry replied, refilling his mug and going back to the records.

The time-candle had almost burnt down to a stub by the time Serrah and the Masterharper returned, bringing a fresh one with them. “Sun’s rising. I’ve sent for fruit and porridge and more klah,” Harmond told them. “How are you holding up? Have you found anything?”

Daniel had passed tiredness, and felt like he was in full fledged mania, turning though pages frantically, his head aching as he forced his tired eyes scan line after line of script. “Nothing,” he said, trying to keep frustration out of his voice. “I’ve read through the death records of every Weyr over the past six hundred turns, and apart from the deadglow who gave himself worms by trying to eat raw meat like his dragon, everything’s normal. Scorch it!”

J’hon slipped off his stool to wrap an arm around his shoulders. “Maybe we’ll just have to keep B’min from fighting.”

“I can’t ask him to do that!” Daniel choked on the words, which caught on the sudden lump in his throat. “There has to be an answer, it can’t just be _nothing_! Something they gave him, something he ate - ”

“Flamestone!” Larry yelled suddenly, slamming a hand down on the table beside the record he was reading. “It’s not what he ate, it’s the firestone he was chewing!”

Harmond gave a soft, curious hum. “Flamestone? No-one’s mined flamestone since the second interval. It reacts too violently to moisture, it would have burst into flame before Amanth could swallow it.”

Serrah’s lips pursed as she thought. “What if… what if it was inside the pieces of firestone? If you hollowed it out and put chunks of flamestone inside, it wouldn’t react until the dragon’s second stomach started to work on it….”

“…Right as we started to flame thread,” J’hon growled. “The rest of our firestone is still in Daniel’s weyr, we can check it. Amanth’s been guarding my things, there’s no way anyone would have been able to get to it without him knowing.”

“I’ll go get it.” Larry jumped up, then sat back down at Daniel’s glare.

“You’re not flying anywhere. Serrah – “

“Inannth’s sent for one of my riders,” she replied, smiling. “He’ll meet you in the courtyard, J’hon?”

“Much obliged, weyrwoman.” J’hon gave her a smile that was suddenly all charm, kissing Daniel’s cheek and grabbing a piece of fruit as he left.

Now that Larry had brought it up, Daniel was certain they’d found the answer they were looking for. It had to be the answer. They were out of time. He reached with his mind for the feel of his brother’s dragon. _Santh! Don’t let Ben give you any firestone! That’s what hurt Amanth! Kheironth, don’t let him chew firestone!_

 _I’m sleeping,_ Kheironth sent back irritably as Santh answered him, a little testy as well.

_I hear you, Weyrleader. I obey. I don’t need Kheironth to school me. But we must fight thread today. How can we refuse firestone without suspicion?_

_We’ll do our best to figure something out before you have to,_ Daniel promised. _Just hold off on the firestone. We have to keep Ben safe._

 _I will protect him with my life,_ the bronze said; not a promise, but a grave statement of fact.

Masterharper Harmond sent for tools, and a tin bucket filled with water, and when J’hon returned with the half-empty sack of firestone they were ready for him. Taking one of the pieces that J’hon passed out, Daniel ran his fingers carefully over the ragged chunk of rock, trying to find some break or seam that would indicate treachery.

“Here!” J’hon declared suddenly, holding out his piece to the middle of the table, thumb against an obvious seam in the stone. Harmond took it from him, pressing the tip of a chisel to the seam, and hammered it open with a loud crack. The piece of firestone had indeed been hollowed out, and fragments of a slightly lighter stone scattered across the table.

Harmond motioned towards Larry. “Care to test your theory, rider L’rence?”

Larry nodded, generous lips pursed as he took the smallest fragment of stone and dropped it neatly into the tin bucket. The cold water immediately churned and hissed violently, though the bucket contained the eruption. In moments there was nothing left of the stone but flakes of ash in the water.

Harmond started for the door. “I’ll get my coat. We need to go to High Reaches now, we need to catch our conspirators in the act. Serrah, would you and Innanth be kind enough to escort me?”

Harmond’s optimism was reassuring, but Daniel couldn’t see how what they’d learned would help them beyond hopefully keeping Ben from getting hurt. “How do we prove it was him?” He asked as he followed him. “There’s hundreds of people in the weyr could try and gain access to switch out Santh’s bag of firestone….”

“There’s two very simple ways to keep oneself from being poisoned,” Harmond said, walking faster. “The first is to employ a taster. The second… is to make your poisoner drink from your cup.”

There was a blue dragon waiting in the courtyard with his rider when they reached it, and Innanth and Fionnth both landed nearby, ready to carry them. Daniel caught Larry’s arm before he could make for his dragon. “You’re not flying, Lar.”

“I’m fine,” Larry argued, trying to tug his arm away, giving a little growl in his breath as J’hon took his other arm. “We’re not staying behind.”

“Come with me and pretty boy,” J’hon told him, motioning towards the blue rider from Fort Weyr, who gave him a dubious look at the name.

Serrah laughed at it. “S’mon and Tanth can take you both. Daniel can ride with the Masterharper and I. Innanth can lead Fionnth home.” She touched Larry’s arm. “You’ve worked hard and valiantly, green rider. Your weyr and your weyrleaders are lucky to have you. Let us get you and your dragon home to High Reaches safely.”

“Listen to Inannth, Fionnth,” Daniel agreed, reinforcing the message with thought.

The green dragon sounded almost insulted. _Of course I will. She’s the Queen. And Larry is very tired._

“Fine,” Larry agreed, following J’hon towards the blue. “Let’s get home. The wings will have to leave soon if they’re going to meet threadfall on time.”

Daniel climbed onto Innanth behind the Masterharper, and in moments all three dragons were in the air. At Serrah’s command, they disappeared _between_ to High Reaches.

When they appeared in the air above the weyr, Daniel could see the fighting wings already assembled, gathered in formation on the ground, or perched along the crown of the Weyr, chewing firestone. He thought towards Santh in a panic. _You haven’t chewed any yet, have you?_

 _Of course not,_ Santh replied. _But you’re cutting it very close._

As they descended into the bowl, Daniel reached with his mind for the bronze dragons who led each wing. _The Weyrleaders require the presence of all wingleaders and wing seconds immediately. Gather in the bowl with Innanth._ Dismounting as Innanth landed, he helped the Masterharper down from the Queen’s back, with Serrah following. S’mon and Tanth landed closer to the edge of the bowl and well out of the way of the flurry of dragons who were gathering as commanded. J’hon jogged up to them on foot once all the dragons had landed.

“Lar’s gone to get fresh Firestone for Ben,” he murmured, wrapping an arm around Daniel’s shoulders. “I hope the Masterharper knows what he’s doing.”

Masterharper Harmond had already moved to the center of the ring of assembled dragons and their riders. “Please come closer. I need to speak with all of you, but specifically with Zankath’s rider, H’dan.”

H’dan walked to him confidently. “Masterharper. How good of you to visit High Reaches. I’d like to file a grievance against our new Weyrleader – “

“I’m speaking.” Harmond cut him off, voice strong and authoritative. “I come on a matter of much greater import. A person or persons in this weyr have acted deliberately to harm a dragon, and I have reason to believe that they also are plotting against your new Weyrleader’s life. Do you know anything about this, H’dan?”

“No more than the other wing leaders, Masterharper,” H’dan replied immediately. “If this concern is linked to the accusations of the attempted drugging of our senior Queen rider, I can assure you that I had nothing to do with that, either. In fact, I would look to his own brother for that! B’min had access to Dalia’s medicine, and every reason to want to insure an easier flight – “

“I am looking to B’min,” Masterharper Harmond agreed, turning to where Ben stood beside Santh. “Weyrleader, if you’d be so kind as to bring me your bag of Firestone?”

Ben nodded, unbuckling the sack of firestone from Santh’s fighting rig and bringing it to Harmond. “Is there something wrong with it?”

“Not if H’dan is telling the truth,” Harmond replied, holding the gaze of the bronze rider. “You had nothing to do with what happened to Amanth and his rider, J’hon, H’dan?”

Daniel saw H’dan’s jaw tense. “Not at all, Masterharper.”

“Then if you are telling the truth, you’ll have no problem giving some of this firestone to Zankath to chew in front of us, will you?”

“Zankath has already started chewing Firestone,” H’dan said carefully, going very pale.

“And he can chew a piece of this,” Harmond repeated, motioning towards the bag. “Or is there something you’d like to tell us, H’dan?”

“It was J'vet!” H’dan exploded suddenly. “J'vet and his second, D'usun!”

“H’dan!” The wing leader barked warningly as H’dan named him, but H’dan continued anyway, glaring at him.

“I’m not going down for this alone! Masterharper, they recruited me! They said they’d set me up as Weyrleader because they needed a young dragon to catch Tannath! They wanted to skim off the tithe so that all three of us could retire in luxury when the pass ended. I didn’t know they intended to harm C’son! I’m innocent!”

J'vet’s bronze Mocith sprang aloft suddenly, diving into Zankath and attacking the other bronze with teeth and talons. Riders and dragons scattered as the two huge bronze dragons tumbled across the ground, grappling and slashing and dripping with ichor when talons made contact with hide. Zankath managed to wrench free and sprang to the air with Mocith in hot pursuit. Still on the ground, H’dan was yelling something that Daniel couldn’t quite make out, and he watched, horrified, as Zankath twisted in the air to belch a burst of flame at the other bronze.

“Stop them!” he cried, commanding Kheironth with his mind and reaching out to the two dragons simultaneously. “ _Stop it! Stop fighting immediately!_ ”

Kheironth sprang into the sky to give chase, followed closely by Innanth and Santh, but they held back away from the heat of the blast. The flame had caught Mocith unaware, and the older bronze thrashed and fought to keep altitude as he tried to back wing to safety. Seeing his foe distracted, Zankath dove forward to clamp his teeth around the other dragon’s throat.

“ _Stop!_ ” Daniel yelled, with every inch of Kheironth’s will behind him. Zankath released his foe, but Mocith, mortally crippled, winked out of sight before he hit the ground.

J'vet crumpled to the ground with a wordless scream of pain that cut to Daniel’s core, and the assembled dragons began to keen at the loss of one of their own for the second time that week. Zankath, obedient now to Kheironth’s command, landed back in the bowl, eyes whirling red and jaws dripping with ichor.

Horrified, Daniel reached for J’hon, clinging to his weyrmate as he enfolded him securely in his arms. To see dragon against dragon….

“I’m sorry,” he heard H’dan say, voice leaden, and Daniel glanced up to see the former Weyrleader looking to him and Ben. “I’m truly sorry. Don’t use that firestone. And take better care of High Reaches than I did. Masterharper, I accept the consequences of my actions.” Then, before anyone could stop him, H’dan started to sprint across the bowl to where Zankath had landed. Grabbing the fighting straps of his wounded bronze, he pulled himself into place on Zankath’s neck. The pair sprang aloft and disappeared _between_.

 _Zankath is gone,_ Kheironth said mournfully, keening louder as her grief washed over Daniel. _Two of my fine, strong bronzes. Gone._

“I know,” Daniel murmured aloud, choking back a sob. “Shards, I didn’t mean for this to happen!”

“He made his choice,” Masterharper Harmond said. “A life for those that he took. And from what I knew of the man, it was a decision he made long ago.” He turned to where K’ton and his other wing second had collected D'usun and were escorting him to them. A third rider had pulled J'vet from the ground, and the man shook visibly, skin pale and eyes red-rimmed and unfocused.

“Jolvet,” Harmond started, his use of the man’s full name causing the former rider to jerk tense and moan. “Your actions have proven your guilt beyond a shadow of a doubt. Did D’usun assist with your plot to kill bronze rider C’son, and the attempts to kill Amanth and his rider J’hon, and Santh and Weyrleader B’min?”

“Yes,” Jolvet replied immediately, voice raw and breaking. “Yes, we’re all guilty, and only he remains unpunished. Pass judgment, Masterharper. I demand it.”

Ben looked over the two men, then back to Harmond. “High Reaches will support your judgment as Masterharper of Pern.”

Masterharper Harmond was silent for a long moment, considering. “Your crimes are serious. Murder, first and foremost. Treason against High Reaches. Tampering with Weyr succession. And, possibly most seriously, you willfully acted to harm dragons. Three bronze dragons that Pern could not afford to lose. And we’ve lost three, due to your plot, with one more injured. We’ve lost a fine Queen and her most noble Weyrwoman, who bore much abuse as a result of your plot. I say this so that everyone here understands that we cannot let this go lightly. So with the Weyrleaders as my witness, and every dragonrider who can hear me, I evoke the ancient punishment of shunning upon Jolvet, former rider of bronze Mocith, and upon D'usun, rider of brown Usoth. Not only will you be without Weyr and Hold, you will also receive no aid and no acknowledgment from any human on Pern. You may live anywhere that is unclaimed - I recommend the mountain caves above Telgar - and with a dragon to hunt for you, the two of you will not want for food. The shunning will last until your deaths. This is my judgment as Masterharper of Pern.”

Jolvet’s head jerked up, looking at the Masterharper for the first time since he’d been brought before him. “No. No, I can’t stay with him, I can’t stay with another dragon. Mocith – “ his voice broke into a sob, then a shuddering, desperate moan. “Mocith…”

“That choice is your own,” Harmond said, with no sympathy. “This weyr has thread to fight now. You have five minutes to gather what you can carry from your weyrs under supervision, and any currency will be confiscated from you.” He looked to Ben, then Daniel. “Does that satisfy justice for you, Weyrleaders?

“It does,” Ben replied, but Daniel hesitated. He thought about his father, who he’d hardly had a chance to know, and his mother, who had died so soon after becoming part of his life again. He thought about how he’d almost lost J’hon and Amanth, how they tried to take his agency during Kheironth’s flight, and now tried kill his brother in the same way they’d killed his father. Was this fair?

He looked towards Kheironth, who’d landed at the mouth of the Weyrwoman’s weyr following the bronzes’ fight. Her smooth, golden hide gleamed in the sunlight as she looked over her Weyr, her presence commanding. He thought about what might feel like to be without her, to feel half of his soul ripped away.

“The punishment is fair,” he said, and looked to the two men. “Five minutes, and Kheironth will command Usoth to leave High Reaches and all the other Weyrs of Pern forever.”

M’ran appeared with several of the second shift green riders, who took D'usun and Jolvet and led them away. Harmond nodded, looking back to Ben. “We’ll speak more after threadfall, Weyrleader B’min. See to your Weyr.”

Ben nodded, letting out a long breath and surveying the disorganized mess of riders and dragons that should’ve already left. Then, as Daniel watched, his brother straightened, uncertainty disappearing from his expression, suddenly strong and commanding. “K’ton. Please lead Jolvet’s wing. I’ll lead ours.” He raised his voice. “L'uket!”

The bronze rider had been one of H’dan’s wing seconds, and he quickly appeared in front of them. “Yes, Weyrleader?”

Ben looked him over. “Is your loyalty to yourself, or High Reaches?”

“My loyalty is to Pern, and keeping her thread free,” L'uket replied without hesitation, and Ben gave a sharp nod, satisfied.

“Your wing is yours to command today. Fight well, and it’s yours for good.” He turned to smile at Larry, who had reappeared with new bag of firestone that he handed to Ben. Ben pulled him into a tight embrace and kissed him warmly before taking it, then turned to mount Santh. “Riders, we’re behind schedule. Get your wings chewing firestone. We leave to fight thread in 10 minutes! ”

 _Come back to our weyr,_ Daniel thought towards Kheironth. _We need to get ready to fight._

“I’ll help you get ready,” J’hon said as he turned towards the weyr, as if reading his mind. 

Serrah joined them from where she’d been watching the scene. “Masterharper? May Innanth and I escort you back to Fort Hold?”

“I don’t think that will be necessary yet, thank you, Serrah.” Masterharper Harmond turned to Daniel. “If you don’t mind, Weyrleader Daniel of High Reaches, I’d like your permission to spend threadfall with your weyrmate and the noble, injured Amanth. As we move into the interval I think it might be a good idea to compose a teaching song about what’s happened here, to remind people of the consequences of greed and treachery. I’m hoping that J’hon and his singing dragon might be willing to help me.”

Daniel glanced to J’hon, and his weyrmate’s grin was all the answer he needed. “All of High Reaches is at your disposal, Masterharper. Serrah, you and S’mon are also most welcome. I’m in your debt, all of you.”

With his flying leathers on and Kheironth’s fighting straps buckled tight, Daniel flew her to perch on one of High Reaches’ seven spires to watch the wings of dragons below organize to fight. Ben’s wing sprang aloft almost as one unit with Santh at their head, shining wings of bronze and brown and blue and bright green beating through the air as they hovered, awaiting their new Weyrleader’s mental command to go fight. More wings took to the air as well, and Daniel could hear, as well as every Dragon in the weyr, his brother’s command.

 _Now,_ Ben said simply, and Santh winked _between_ with the fighting dragons of High Reaches, answering their calling to fight thread.

~~ The End ~~


End file.
